Godfamily
by nine-orcids
Summary: In which Sirius is proven innocent and set free, rescues Harry, and raises him at Hogwarts with the Help of Remus, AKA Uncle Moony, his Godmother Minerva McGonagall, AKA Aunt Minnie, and the rest of his new found family, AKA The Hogwarts Teachers
1. Chapter 1

_**All credit for Harry Potter, the world the story takes place in, and the characters belong to JK Rowling. **_

_The young raven haired child ran joyfully down the large hallway, weaving in and out of the black robed students walking the other way. He was late! Uncle Moony and Padfoot had told him to meet them back at the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom as soon as class ended, and that was almost eight minutes ago! He knew he should not have taken that third cup of tea with Hagrid…_

_Harry Potter was your average seven year old. He liked to have fun, he got in trouble a lot, he loved his stuffed deer…and he lived in a large castle called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were he considered just about every teacher a family member and almost all the students were his friends._

Remus Lupin was a werewolf, and even when it wasn't a full moon he had the senses of a wolf. His eyes were sensitive and sharper than normal, allowing him to be able to see in the dark. His taste was more powerful, which came in handy with his chocolate obsession. His hearing was what enabled him to do so well in school. It had really come in use when he was stuck in the back of the classroom surrounded by the loud and immature idiots he called his best friends. His sense of smell was second to none. He was able to smell almost everything, which was what had led him to discovering his old friend.

He had been out visiting with the Headmaster, who believed he needed to get out and interact with people more often. They'd come to the home of the Weasley family, Arthur, Molly, and their seven children: Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny. The Weasley house, otherwise known as the Burrow. The building itself might once have been an old stone pigpen, which had several stories attached to it. Multiple chimneys dotted the roof of the house, and the entire building was most likely held up by magic due to its crazy construction.

It was here that he smelled the once familiar scent of the rat…his old pack mate. A sent that was suppose to have been gone for a little over two years. Peter Pettigrew was suppose to have died on November 1, 1981. The day after their friend Sirius Black had betray the Potters to Voldemort after being made their Secret Keeper. Wormtail…he was alive? That had to be impossible. Black had destroyed him…hadn't he? All they'd found was a finger… How was he alive? But there was his scent…and scents don't lie.

"Um…Professor?" the premature gray haired man asked, interrupting a conversation between the Headmaster and Arthur Weasley. "I don't mean to disrupt your chat, but this is important." His tone was the tip-off that something was very wrong.

"What is it Remus?" Dumbledore asked cautiously, his voice still calm.

"Professor…It's Peter. For some reason I can smell his scent all over one of the upper rooms, as if he lived there. But that's impossible, right? He'd dead."

This put the patriarch of the red-haired clan on alert. From his expression, one could tell that he had no idea someone was in his house and that he was worried for his family's safety.

Wordlessly, the two older men followed the werewolf up the stairs to the second floor. It was in the room of the third eldest Weasley family, Percy, that his nose led him. In the sun lay the familiar form of a rat. Wormtail. Alive when he was suppose to be dead, supposedly killed by Sirius...

"He's alive…" he whispered allowed.

The other two men looked at him curiously, unsure of what to say. He motioned for them to follow him out of the room. Once out, he began to explain. How in school his friends had found out his secret. How they'd become Animagi to help his through his transformations and maybe make them more bearable. The truth behind the Marauder's nicknames. How the rat that Percy kept as a pet was in fact Wormtail.

For two years he had hidden.

But why would an innocent man hide? Unless he was not truly innocent…

**~X-x-X~**

Sirius Black looked around his small cell, ignoring the screams of the other inmates. It was terrible here…but it wasn't any less than he disserved. It wasn't suppose to be like this. Prongs and Lily-flower were suppose to be alive, safely hidden away in Godric's Hollow. Little Harry was suppose to be with them, loved by his family. He and the other Marauders were suppose to be there for him as Uncles, the ones he could come to when he couldn't go to his father…

It was his fault he was gone…if only he hadn't suggested Pettigrew be made Secret Keeper in his place. Why couldn't he have trusted Moony?

Tears began to well up in his eyes. He missed them so much, not that this place helped. It was hard to remember someone when all your happy memories of them were stolen from you. Under his full time guard of Dementors, the only memories he had left of the Potters and Remus were the ones where he had wished he was dead for betraying them. It was hard on one's sanity to be forced to see over and over how he had revealed Remus's secret to Snape and almost got him expelled. James laying lifeless on the floor of the blown apart cottage. Lily's emerald green eyes wide-open, but seeing nothing.

He cursed Voldemort for murdering his best friend. He cursed Wormtail for betraying James and Lily. He cursed himself for recommending the rat in the first place. He should of realized that Peter was the traitor. His Animagus form was a rat after all… But how does one know that one is a turncoat when there is no indications? Peter had been a wonderful friend. He hadn't the brightest of their group, but he had been kind and always so easy to talk to…

How blind they'd all been not to see past him. And everyone though it had been him that had been the infiltrator of the Order…

So caught up was he in his self loathing that he didn't even realize that the door to his cell had been opened. He was alerted of it when the rusty door clanked against the wall. Looking up, he was gifted with the sight of two Dementors and Alistor "Mad-Eye" Moody, head of the Auror Division and his old friend.

"Black…" the grisly old man said in way of greeting. He stepped into the cell, followed by two more Aurors and another Dementor. Two more old familiar faces. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Thomas Johnson.

"Mad-Eye.." he answered, his voice hoarse from disuse, "What's going on?"

The question was directed to Moody, but it was Kingsley that answered. "New evidence has turned up in your case. A trial has been approved.," the young Auror confided in him as they bound his hands behind his back.

Without another word, they led him out of the cell and into a stone hallway. Almost instantly he felt warmth seeping into him for the first time in who knows how long…The quick action of the Patronus charm.

His guard led him through the labyrinth of Azkaban and passed many more cells holding the scum of the Wizarding world. Many of the inmates were muttering to themselves, the luck that go mad within a few weeks of arriving. Those he would have been among if he hadn't known he was innocent. Soon they emerged from the prison's depths and he felt fresh air on his face again instead of the stuff of the Dementors that smelled of decay and death. Their effect wasn't so bad out here…

They pulled him onto a boat which carried them the twenty-five miles to the mainland. From their, they apparated to the familiar hallways outside the old Ministry courtrooms. He'd been here many times, buy it had been on the other side of the law.

Waiting for them was Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, another pair of Dementors, and the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Amelia Bones. "Sirius," the Headmaster began, "It looks like we shall soon see if you are guilty or not." The old man might of said more, but his escort pushed pasted the group and pulled him into the antechamber used to house prisoners while the court assembled. They could only wait now.

"Hey Mad-Eye?" he began cautiously, "If I get off…do you think there is any way I could have my old job back?" This question caused a want to be jabbed into his back.

After a few minutes silence, he figured that was all the answer he was going to get. But with a sigh, Moody said, "We'll see Black… it depends on a whole lot of questions getting answered today. A whole lot of questions…"

From there the room fell quiet. After sometime there was a gong heard, a signal. The door was opened part of the way and a goblet was thrust through. Johnson grabbed it and held it to his lips with a command to drink. He caught a whiff of it before it was forced down his throat. No odor…Veritaserum. They weren't taking any chances were they?

After they were sure he'd swallowed the truth potion, he was pushed into yet another hallway. Another Dementor was on waiting for him, the now familiar cold creeping into him. They motioned for him to walk on. Doing so, he soon found himself in the middle of the large amphitheater like courtroom. Hands grabbed him and pulled him forward. Forced into the single chair in the center of the room, he felt the chains come to life and bind him down.

Looking up and around, he was the many curious faces of the Wizengamot surrounding him as well as those of the audience who'd come to see his hearing.

"We are here today to find out the truth of what happen November 1, 1981, as well as to discover the true allegiance of one Sirius Black," the Minister's voice boomed out around the room.

The trial had begun.

**~X-x-X~**

"The charges against the accused are as followed: Being a Death Eater and follower loyal to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Infiltrating the Ministry of Magic as an Auror and passing him information. Betraying the location of Lily and James Potter to him, thus causing their deaths on the night of October 31, 1981. Murdering exactly twelve Muggles and the Wizard Peter Pettigrew on November 1, 1981, and nearly revealing our existence to the Muggle world."

The room was silent.

"Now, you have been given Veritaserum, is that correct?"

"Yes," he found himself calling out in answer. The words seemed to fly from his mouth, enabling him unable to stop it.

"You are Sirius Orion Black, formerly of Raven Cottage in Yorkshire, England, also known as Azkaban Prisoner KY-396?"

"Yes…"

"Are you now or have you ever been a follower of or in anyway a sympathizer of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

"No…"

That caused the muttering to break out. Wizengamot members turned to each other and began whispering excitedly until they were shushed for the next question.

"Did you betray the Potters to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

"No…"

Again, excited whispering broke out.

"What happen on the night of October 31, 1981, as well as the morning of November 1, 1981?"

He opened his mouth to tell them the truth of that night, and then to wait for the verdict.

"On the night in question, I stopped in to check on Pettigrew. He was in hiding, for it was he, not I, that was the Secret Keeper for Lily and James. I had talked them into making it him…argued that it should be him because everyone knew how close James and I were. I would have been the first one Voldemort came after."

He paused in his story as everyone gasped at the unflinching way he said the name. Then he continued.

"He was gone and there was no sine of a struggle. I knew something must have happen, so I hurried to Godric's Hollow. When I arrived, the house had been destroyed. Hagrid was there, getting their bodies and little Harry out. I asked him to give me Harry seeing as I'm his Godfather…but he refused. I lent him my motorbike to take Harry to Dumbledore… and I went after the traitor. I cornered him on the next morning on November 1, and confronted him on a Muggle street. He shouted for everyone to hear that I had betrayed my friends…Before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with a wand he had hidden behind his back, then cut off his tow, transformed, and escaped down into the sewers."

The muttering intensified when he fell silent. One of the assembled stood up and asked, "What do you mean, 'he transformed?'"

"He's an illegal Animagus. A rat."

More whispering. With this pause in the questioning, he took the time to glance at the audience. His favorite cousin Andromeda, her husband Ted, and their pink-haired daughter Nymphadora. She would be in her first year at Hogwarts by now. His other cousin Narcissa, who he hated, her husband Lucius Malfoy, and their son Draco. The little brat would be the same age as Harry now… His mother (of all people), and their old house-elf. Remus…

The werewolf's eyes were on him and as he looked up, they met his. There was some unidentifiable emotion in the older brown orbs. Pain? Hate? Betrayal? Confusion? Hopefulness? He couldn't tell.

In any event, his old friend looked more haggard that he remembered. There was more gray in his sandy brown hair. He stood slightly hunched over, as if he carried a lot of weight on his shoulders. There were lines carved into his face, evidence that he used to laugh frequently… but had not so much as smile in some time. There were new scars on his face, the newest of which hadn't completely healed. It must be just after a full moon…

After what seemed like forever, Fudge stood up again.

"Mr. Black, what you have told us confirms the evidence we have lately received in your case. An eye witness account not previously know from one Peter Waldo Pettigrew, found in hiding less than a month ago. Furthermore, he has admitted to both the murder of the Muggles, being a Death Eater, and betraying the Potters as their Secret Keeper. It is with this being said that the Ministry offers you 15,000 Galleons for each of the years you were wrongfully imprisoned and a full pardon. Case dismissed."

With this, the room fell burst into conversation as the assembled Witches and Wizards began to mingle and talk about the short and rather disappointing trial. But Sirius didn't move. Not even when the chains removed themselves. He was to busy looking in shock at the place where the Minister had just pronounced him a free man.

They'd found Pettigrew…

He'd confessed…

He was free…

Free…

FREE!

Excitedly, he turned back towards the faces of his family. Andromeda was smiling broadly across a tear streaked face. Narcissa and his bitch of a mother were glaring down at him, furious that he had escaped what they seemed to feel was the proper punishment for his "actions" towards shaming the Black family name. Minerva, like Andromeda, was crying tears of joy. Dumbledore had on a large grin. This large grin was most unlike the headmaster, who usually displayed a slightly odd whimsical sense of humor… But out of all the familiar faces, he sought one in particular. Remus.

The premature gray man was looking down on him still… but the unidentifiable emotions of earlier were gone from his face. They were replaced with a large and excited grin, allowing the young boy he truly was to shine through.

**~X-x-X~**

Remus allowed himself a small smile as the emotions flickered quickly across his newly released friend's face. First the shock, then confusion, then the realization that he was a free man and finally excitement. Happiness. As if a dieing man had just been told he was not truly going to die, but instead live a long and full life. He was glad for his friend… but he knew he needed to confront the dog Animagus. From what he could see, Sirius was not the person he used to be. Loss, grief, guilt and Azkaban had changed the once playful boy in ways he probably would never know.

Slowly, he headed toward the one he called friend again. Before he knew it, he was in front of the newly released man. They stared at each other wordlessly before the ex-convict opened his mouth.

"Remus, listen… I'm sorry. It was my fault that you weren't picked…I though you were the spy…When I saw their house destroyed and their bodies…" he trailed off, "You're lucky Remus. You never had to see their bodies…" he paused again.

The werewolf didn't say anything, just nodded. He smiled sadly, internally reveling in the quiet joy he felt, of one who cannot quite believe his luck. He could understand where his pack member was coming from, and he knew that if he were in his position he would have come to the same conclusion. For now, he ignored the fact that all the anger and betrayal he had felt towards Sirius must now be transferred onto Peter. That could be dealt with later, for now he would enjoy having Sirius back. Quietly he grabbed the shoulders of his depressed friend.

"It's alright Pads. None of us would have ever though Peter was the snitch…it's not your fault! It's over now. You're free, the rat is going to get what's coming to him, and it's time for you to move on with your life."

Sirius nodded silently, a new look of determination on his face. "Moony, my old friend… You are absolutely right! And I know the first thing I'm going to do."

The sandy haired man looked at him curiously.

"I'm going to get custody of Harry and raise him like Prongs and Lily-flower would have wanted."

**~X-x-X~**

While the cheery old Professor was happy Sirius was innocent and now free, he did not look forward to the visit the ex-convict would soon undoubtedly be paying him or the request he would undoubtedly make. To know the whereabouts of one Harry James Potter, otherwise known as the Boy Who Lived. While he would give anything to tell the man what he would want to know, he knew he couldn't. It was important that Harry stay with his Muggle relatives for his own safety. Lily's protection was only in play if he stayed with her sister, her blood.

When he had first placed the newly orphaned one year old with the Dursleys, he had been sure to keep a close watch on the boy. He'd placed a squib nearby to look after him, as well as made frequent visits there himself. What he had saw had nearly left him heartbroken enough to the point of removing the boy from their care.

Instead of one of the two bedrooms left over in the house, they stuck him on an old mattress in the cupboard under the stairs. They starved him of both the food a toddler needs to grow strong, and the love they need to receive while being nurtured. They gave him only their oversized son's cast offs to wear. They hit him when he cried or asked questions. As soon as he was able to keep his grip on a rag, they had the little two year old working. Polishing, dusting, cleaning the floors and windows…

As Minerva had said that faithful night, they truly were the worst sort of Muggles imaginable.

But, sadly, it was for the boy's own good. After all, it was that protection that kept him safe from Tom and his followers…

He honestly sometimes thought it would be better for the little boy to be taken from that house. Although it would leave him vulnerable to attack, he could at least be happy perhaps with a family... There had been several offers over the years…

While he thought about it, there came a knocking on the door.

"Come in…" he called out warily.

And in came the very person he'd been waiting for, along with his oldest friend the werewolf.

"Sirius, Remus! What a pleasant surprise," he said, his tone suddenly cheerful.

The scar faced sandy haired man looked apologetic, while the thin faced shaggy black man only looked determined.

"Albus," Black jumped straight to the point, not even acknowledging the greeting, "Where's Harry?"

**~X-x-X~**

As the headmaster studied the two men, contemplating telling them the location of the child and therefore removing him from the only home he'd ever known, the boy in question was begging whatever god was out there to get him out of here. He hated it in at number 4, Privet Drive.

He had been sent to his cupboard…again. He hadn't even done anything! He'd just found an old toy of Dudley's that the mean fatty never even played with and claimed it as his own. Dudley had seen him with it and demanded it for himself. He had loved that toy…a stuffed stag he'd named Prongs. He didn't know where the name had come from, but it was familiar somehow. And that wasn't the only thing he could recall.

Sometimes in his dreams, he saw things. Things that seemed to be fading with time. A red haired green eyed woman laughing joyfully at something two men were doing…one with black unruly hair and hazel eyes, and one with long silky raven locks pulled back in a ponytail with silver eyes. A man with kind brown eyes and sandy hair…but with a face riddled with scars. Sometimes the hazel eyed one that looked so much like him would take him up on a broom and they would fly. That had been fun…to bad it was just a dream…wasn't it? Sometimes the hazel eyed man got together with the silver eyed man and the kind scar faced one and they turned into animals. A stag, a scary looking dog, and a fierce wolf…but they were all gentle with him.

The names Prongs, Padfoot, and Moony were always in his mind when he was woken up from those dreams. He wished they were real. He wished they'd come and rescue him, then they could be as happy in real life as they were in his dreams. But he was a freak, and freaks didn't deserve to be happy. They didn't deserve toys either. He knew, his uncle had told him so.

As he lay in the dark (the last light bulb had burnt out and they only gave him one a year) he thought with longing of the stag toy stuffed animal. It had helped keep the nightmares away. Whenever he didn't have it, the same dream always plagued him. A flash of green light, a really scary laugh, and a pair of screams he was sure were the hazel eyed man and the red haired woman.

Because of that, he now feared to go to sleep. If he went to sleep, he'd have the scary dream. It he had it, then he would wake up crying, thus waking up his Aunt and Uncle. If they woke up, he would be punished. He really wished he wasn't here anymore, or he had his stag back…

**~X-x-X~**

The professor considered the two men before him, as well as thought back to an offer made long ago by none other than the boy's godmother.

"He's safe," the long haired headmaster said over his clasped hands, "for now. Before I tell you, I need your word on something."

The two men before him shared a confused glance before looking back at him.

"What?"

"The boy's godmother asked me to allow her to raise young Mr. Potter some years ago, but I refused. I believed at the time that there was no better place for him that where he has been for the last few years. From recent reports I've receive, I think differently now. I've been considering removing him from his present location and he was to go to her if I did. If he was to go to you, which I dare say is what his parents would have wanted, she would be heartbroken as she has no longed to look after him. My request is that you share the burden of raising him with her. A boy needs a mother after all."

The two men shared a confused glance again. They obviously hadn't been aware that their was a godmother to young Harry. After all, the boy's parents had only alerted him of the fact of her designated role to his knowledge.

"Um…sure, but…who is she?" Remus said uneasily. He was obviously concerned that she might know of his condition and not allow him to visit the boy.

The Headmaster smiled at them.

"You both know her," he said with a twinkle in his eye, "It's Professor McGonagall."

The surprisingly large number of students left at Hogwarts for the Christmas holiday were mostly out on the grounds, taking advantage of the snow and frozen lake. All were stopped in their tracks as they heard a loud yell:

"_**MINNIE**!"_

**~X-x-X~**

It was the pounding that woke him up. The weird thing was that it was the middle of the night. Who could be calling at this hour? He heard the incoherent mutterings of his Uncle Vernon as he pounded down the stairs, raining dust down from the bottom of the stairs with each step onto his nephews head. Many a morning he had been woken up like that.

The heavily mustached man, woken from a very sound sleep, was very angry. No sane person was awake at 2:00 in the morning…except perhaps the little freak. Whoever it was was about to get a piece of his mind!

Yanking the door open in mid pound, he bristled, "What in the world is the matter with you to be banging on the bloody door at this hour? Do you not know what time it is?"

This was all said before he got a proper look at his four guests. The three men in long robes in shades of black, brown, and amethyst, one wearing a tall pointed hat. The woman in ones of emerald green. A long piece of wood was in the hands of the woman, and it was shining at the tip. None of them were smiling.

"Good evening Mr. Dursley. We've come for young Mr. Potter," the man in amethyst said, the light of the woman's wand reflecting off his half moon spectacles.

**~X-x-X~**

Had he heard right? They were here for _**him**_? But that couldn't be right…could it? He must have heard wrong.

Out of his line of sight, Vernon had got a ghastly shade of white. "I don't know what you are talking about," he spluttered, "There is no one by that name here! Leave at once and never come near me or my family again!"

Safe in his cupboard, Harry heard the unmistakable sound of the front door slamming and the sound of the locks being thrown.

"Freaks…at least they had the decency to come when it was dark…" he heard the man muttering to himself as he walked back up the stairs.

And then it happen. The thing that would change his world… Outside, he heard a loud blast. He also saw a flash of red light in the slit of empty air between the cupboard door bottom and the floor. Where had those come from! Cursing was heard above him, along with running feet, and the screams of his fat cousin who'd been woken up.

"I'm only going to say this once Dursley…GIVE US HARRY YOU STUPID MUGGLE!"

That caused him to jerk…and hit his head on the low ceiling of what passed as his bedroom. Muffling a cry with his hand, he started rubbing his now sore head. Then he noticed the silence outside. Earlier, their had been cries, curses, yelling, and all sorts of whatnot. Now there was nothing. You could have heard a pin drop.

"Professor…" a new voice trailed off, "Did you hear something just now?"

The new voice sounded familiar, almost…comforting. So did the voice of the person who yelled. He didn't know where he had heard them before…it was almost as if they were from a dream of something…

"As a matter of fact, I did not. Would you be so kind as to point me in the direction from which you heard it?" the first voice said, presumably the professor.

He quickly tried to make himself as small as possible. He'd get in trouble if he wasn't asleep, and that might earn him a slap or two.

Then the locks could be heard rattling, and the door swung open…

**~X-x-X~**

Sirius glared at the somewhat short, fat Muggle before him that refused to give him his godson. What was this guy's problem? According to Dumbledore the Dursleys didn't even like him, you'd think they'd jump at a chance to get rid of him. But surprise, surprise…

Then Remus heard the thump and led them to the cupboard under the stairs. Who needs two locks and a deadbolt to hold a cabinet shut?

"There's breathing in there…" Remus muttered, a frown crossing his face. He looked up at Dursley. Sparing a look up at him to, he saw that the man was scared. What could possibly be so bad that they had to lock it up.

Minerva waved her wand, still lip up, over the locks. They rattled as they undid themselves and the door swung open to reveal the small space within. It held a small camp bed, a light bulb hanging from the ceiling, some toys on a small shelf, and clothes lying at the foot of the bed. And in the bed… curled up to look as small as possible in the corner was a small haired boy that looked almost exactly like James had at such a young age… He was small and skinny, which made him look younger than three. His thatch of untidy jet-black hair flopped down over his lightning shaped scar and almond shaped eyes that were the exact same shape of green as his mother's that looked up in fear.

The two younger men and the woman all turned in anger at the still present Muggle, who also coward in fear upon receiving their combined gazes.

"DURSLEY! WHY IS HE SLEEPING IN A CUPBOARD!" the werewolf roared, going for his wand.

But he was beat to it. Just as his hand went for the slender piece of wood, a jet of green light flashed past him and headed directly toward the cowering man, who was replaced by a bright pink stoat.

Slowly the two men followed the trail the flash of magic had taken… and was met by the sight of none other than Minerva McGonagall, the stern head of Gryffindor who wouldn't even blink if she had to take points off of her own house, with her wand pointed at said, now floating, stoat and a look of hatred on her face. Definitely not the Minnie they were used to!

But the bad part was… she was scaring the little one…

**~X-x-X~**

Harry was scared. The weirdly dressed people had come to get him, they'd yanked his cupboard door open, and now they were just standing there! The mean looking woman was pointing a stick at his uncle with a look of hatred on her face, this surprised him. Usually he was the one that expressions like that were directed at. The sandy haired man was also looking at his uncle with dislike.

It was the other two that confused him the most. The one with the long silver hair and beard was looking at him with concern, and the black haired one with the familiar grey eyes was looking at him what could only be described as love. WHAT WAS GOING ON HERE!

More importantly, why did he feel like he knew all of them and could trust them? True the younger two looked a lot like the ones who turned into the wolf and the dog from his dreams…but they were only figments of his imagination…right?

The one that resembled the dog kneeled down in front of him, wedging himself partially into the small space that passed as his bedroom.

"Harry? It's alright," the man whispered, holding out his hands toward him. It was like he was offering him a hug… He didn't know what to do. "Harry," he asked, his voice gentle, "Do you want to come out of here?"

He stiffened and shrunk away. "Harry?" the man froze, his arms still outstretched. Slowly, the little boy crawled toward him and let himself be pulled out of the cupboard. Almost as soon as he was out, he struggled to get down. When his feet were on the floor, he quickly backed away from the four strangers in the hallway.

They were quite odd looking. Everyone one of them, not just the woman, looked like they were wearing a dress. Harry had to suppress a giggle. It was kind of a funny sight.

"Harry," the man who looked like the dog said again, this time stuttering a little. "I-I'm your godfather. I knew your mum and dad, and they wanted me to take you if anything happened to them," he explained, kneeling down so as to be at the little boy's eye level. He gestured to the hawk like lady, who although was still pointing the stick she was now smiling adoringly at him. "This is your godmother…"

Harry didn't know what to say to that. He had family…other than the Dursleys? They'd said they'd come for him…did that mean his prayers had been answered and they were going to take him away?

"Does that mean I have to leave?" he slowly whispered in his three year olds speech.

The man looked confused for a moment, before clearing his throat. "Your mum and dad wanted us to take you, if anything happened to them. That means you get to live with us…if you want to of course. It's completely up to you."

Want to? Of course he wanted to! He wanted to get away from his mean relatives… The man in front of him hadn't stopped smiling the whole time he'd talked to him, which an was unusual experience for him. The other three were also grinning. He liked it when people smiled at him…

Shyly, he returned the smiles. This caused the men to smile even bigger and look at him with expressions full of love. There was no way they couldn't be them…they'd looked at him the same way.

"Uncle Padfoot…" he whispered, before throwing himself around the man's neck. He was almost as surprised by his actions as the black haired man was. After he had slowly brought his hands around him and pulled him into a crushing embrace, Harry pulled away bashfully. He took in the broad grin on Padfoot's gaunt face, shyly returning it again.

He felt himself being swung up in one motion and placed on the man's hip. He froze in surprise, but the man apparently chose to ignore it.

"So you remember me, huh Prongslet?" Padfoot said cheerfully. He pointed to the scar faced one. "Do you remember him?"

Eagerly, he nodded. "Uncle Moony!"

He reached out toward the shocked man and managed to partially hug him from the arms of the first Marauder.

"Aunt do you remember Professor Dumbledore and Aunt Minnie?"

He shook his head sadly. They must have been important if he was suppose to remember them.

"That's alright little one," Moony soothed him, gently stroking his hair. "It's been awhile since you saw them, so we can't expect you to. Just wait for a little while and you'll know them again."

From there, they didn't stay long in the house that had been his home for as long as he could remember (which wasn't long.)

They tried to get him to claim his things from the cupboard, but he refused all of it. He wanted to put everything from Privet Drive behind him if he was going to leave forever. The only thing he wanted to claim was Prongs, which was currently being held hostage in his cousin's room.

It was funny to watch his aunt's expression when Padfoot had burst into the room with Harry in his arms and claim the toy from her son's grasp, Harry mused.

He had his arms wrapped around Sirius' neck as the door to 4 Privet Drive swung shut behind them. He couldn't help but smile. It was nice to be loved, even if it was probably only a dream. Where else would these wonderful people have come from? It was the only thing he could think of for his prayers to get answered, his uncle being turned into a furry little animal, and getting Prongs back. Nothing wonderful like that could ever happen to a freak.

**~X-x-X~**

"Prongslet?" Minerva asked curiously as they descended the front porch steps, a look of dread starting to farm on her face.

"He's Prongs' son. Therefore he is Prongslet." Sirius stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, a grin spreading across his own face. In his hands, he held the future of the Marauders.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Start of new story. Good? Bad? Give me feedback here! This will only be a twoshot or a threeshot, so you've been warned. Also, i've got no idea how a three year old talks, so Harry talks like a normal person in this. sorry...**

**Please Review and tell me what you think! **


	2. Chapter 2

_**All credit for Harry Potter, the world the story takes place in, and the characters belong to JK Rowling. **_

_The small seven year old boy tried desperately not to giggle, and therefore give away his position underneath the invisibility cloak. This may have been a simple prank, but it was still funny. Upon receiving the cloak from Gran-pa for Christmas, he'd been eager to try it out. Then he had come up with this._

_While hiding under the cloak, he held a Muggle fishing pole, which was also hidden. The line of the pole was tied to the head of a large rubber snake, which was visible. The line on the other hand was not. Whenever someone walked past it he slowly began reeling it in, thus making the snake slither forward, thus scaring people. Not the best prank in the world, but it was still pretty funny. Especially when he scared a Slytherin! Who knew that several of the large and ugly members of that house screamed like little girls when confronted with the symbol of said house! _

_One of his reasons for using the cloak in this particular prank was so he wouldn't get caught. Aunt Minnie and Uncle Moony had promised that if he got caught playing another prank, he wouldn't get a new broom for his birthday. Key words here "if he got __**CAUGHT**__!" That didn't mean he couldn't pull pranks, only that he couldn't get caught! Solution? Hello cloak! It was perfect seeing as the only ones who knew he had it was Gran-pa, Hagrid, Cloey, and Uncle Paddy! _

The tapping was what woke him. What sounded like the usual morning thump of Aunt Petunia knocking on his cupboard door to wake him up turned out to be the start of a new day and a new life.

He slowly turned over in the bed, more comfortable than usual, and groaned. He'd had the most realistic and wonderful dream last night that Moony and Padfoot were real and had come and got him to go live with them. And that someone they called Minnie had turned Uncle Vernon into a furry little animal, and who had rescued Prongs from Dudley the Whale. He really wished something like that would happen.

The tapping came again and he sighed. He would get in trouble if he didn't get up soon. Slowly, he opened his eyes expecting to be met with the dark enclosed space of his cupboard…but was instead shocked to find himself in a large four-poster bed in a large and airy room. There was a window admitting the bright morning light and giving him a spectacular view of a large lake and some mountains. In his grasp was Prongs the stag, and in place of his cousin's oversized green pajamas was a perfectly fitting pair of bright scarlet and yellow ones.

He looked around the room in wonder, then heard the tapping again. It was in fact coming from a door, just not the one he'd expected. And if he was to venture a guess, he was pretty sure it wasn't Aunt Petunia demanding he get up.

Slowly, he got out of the large and comfortable bed, then headed for the door. He opened it cautiously, and saw a large airy room decorated in scarlet and gold (like his pajamas) with large pictures of Moony, Padfoot, the human Prongs, the red-haired woman he had the sudden urge to call Flower, and a baby he was pretty sure was him, from his dreams everywhere.

He hadn't dreamed it! It had really happened, and Moony and Padfoot were real! So were Miss McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore!

He saw and realized all this before a clearing of the throat caused him to turn his gaze downward. That's when he screamed.

**~X-x-X~ **

Remus Lupin sat in silent wonder as the godmother of his foster nephew busied herself grading the homework of the vacationing third years. They were currently sitting in her home office (she has an office attached to the suite of rooms the two men, she, and Harry have now moved into within the castle.)

He was really here! Although not a baby anymore, that sweet little boy was here! They would get to raise him like his parents had wanted! Teach him how to play games, study, play pranks, spoil him rotten…

CHRISTMAS!

It was in three days, and they were going to pack two years worth into this first year together! And they were also going to spoil him a bunch in the future…his birthday! They absolutely had to spoil him like there was no tomorrow on his birthday!

As he sat happily considering all the things they could do to spoil him and thus make him forget the horrible family known as Dursley, a heart wrenching sound was heard. A scream of fear that could only be coming from Harry. Without a word, the two adults were up and in the living room…to witness one of the strangest meetings they'd ever seen.

"Greetings Master Potter sir," the house elf said cheerfully, "I is Cloey sir! Cloey is sorry for disturbing your rest, sir…"

The small female was between two to three feet tall, and had spindly arms and legs, with an over-sized head and large brown eyes. It have pointed, bat-like ears which had what looked like soft grayish black hair sprouting from them and a high, squeaky voice. It wore a toga made out of a tea-towel, a large crest of arms bearing an eagle, a lion, a snake, and a badger all situated around a large letter H was printed on the front.

Instead of answering, the little boy just stared at her in a combination of shock and fear.

The werewolf sighed and rubbed his head. Harry had just been brought back into the Magical world from a two year exile and most likely didn't remember much of it. True he hadn't thought twice about Side-Along Apparition, the fact that he remembered two of the ones who had rescued him turned into animals, and Minerva had turned his uncle into a Stoat, but… a house-elf first thing in the morning really wasn't how he'd wanted the reintroduction to go…

He watched as slowly, Prongslet brought up his own hand and waved back. "Good morning Miss Cloey…" he said silently, causing the little elf to gape at him and her eyes to water up at the courtesy title.

The little one put his hands up defensively just as the elf burst into tears.

"_M-Miss?_," she sobbed out, "Never…Never ever… Cloey has never been called _Miss_ sir, by a wizard! Like an equal!"

Now he figure he better rescue the fawn as he looked pretty scared.

"Now, Now Cloey," he said, walking over and gently patted the elf's head. "It's alright! Harry doesn't know anything about House-Elves. So why don't you stop your tears, and get breakfast ready for him, eh? I promise we'll teach him all about you alright? So he doesn't shock you again…you can help if you like."

The soothing helped, and soon she was only hiccupping. "Y-yes s-s-ir…" she stuttered out over the sobs. When she was finally done with her sniffling, she was already happy at work getting food together in the small kitchen.

Turning back to the small boy, Remus smiled.

"Sleep well Harry?"

Quickly, he nodded.

"Yes sir!" he answered quickly, sounding almost like the house-elf.

"Cloey, as she told you, is a house-elf. She's bound to serve one house, and one family forever. In this case, she works at Hogwarts and volunteered to work up here and take care of us. She's going to do the cleaning up around the apartment, laundry, food when we choose to eat up here instead of in the Great Hall, and take care of you sometimes when the rest of us are busy. Understand Prongslet?"

Hastily the child nodded again, then looked around in confusion.

"Um sir?" he asked uncertainly, "Where exactly are we?"

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Scotland… which brings me to my next explanation. You're probably wondering how all this is possible, aren't you?"

He nodded.

The werewolf smiled and bent down to where he was at eye level with him. "Magic…" he whispered gently, smiling even wider at the boy's disbelieving expression.

"But Magic doesn't really exist!"

"Yes it does! How else do you explain Cloey? Or how Padfoot and I can turn into animals? Haven't you ever done something that no one else could explain? Something when you were scared or upset?"

The small boy's face clouded over for a few moments before a smile flashed across his face.

**~X-x-X~**

Something no one else could explain…when he was scared or upset…

That time he'd been sent to his cupboard after Dudley had stolen his pork chop…then his chair had been blown across the room. Or that time Aunt Petunia had told him to clean the top of the refrigerator, and somehow he could reach the top of it without something to stand on. Or when Aunt Marge had come over and started ridiculing him… all her clothes and her dog had turned bright pink (a color she loathed.)

Slowly a smile began to form across his face. He nodded eagerly…then frowned again.

"Sir?" he asked uncertainly, "Isn't this a dream?"

Moony faked a hurt look. "Now Harry, why would you think something like that? Do you not like us or something?"

He quickly shook his head.

"No sir! It's just…I'm a freak. Wonderful stuff like this doesn't happen to freaks…"

Now Remus was really angry. Uh oh…he knew that look. His uncle got it all the time when he was angry with him and he was about to be thrown in his cupboard. It was usually accompanied by him yelling, turning purple, pain, and no food for a week. But they were probably just going to send him back to the Dursleys, and they would punish him like he deserved. It had been nice while it lasted…

**~X-x-X~**

It was heartbreaking to hear this. For him to say, without even batting an eye, that he was a freak. As if he believed it were true no less! Oh how she wished she could kill that family, with that they had done to her dear godson.

Harry needed guidance, something she knew he hadn't gotten with the Dursleys, and she was going to make sure he got it. She had thought of and loved the boy like her one of her own from the first moment she'd seen him huddled in that cupboard. She wanted him to grow into a strong confidant man, someone his parents could be proud of. And to make sure that happened, she was willing to do just about anything…but sadly it wouldn't be possible if she turned into a murderer and had to spend the rest of her life in Azkaban.

"Harry…" Remus asked slowly, his voice betraying the fact that he was struggling not to start yelling profanities unfit for the little one's ears. "Who told you were a freak?"

"Uncle Vernon," he was answered matter of factly, as if everyone should know that.

Slowly, he bend back down to the child's eye level. "Harry, listen to me, and listen good. You are not a freak. You never have been and you never will be, understand?"

No answer.

"Harry, I asked if you understood. If anyone is a freak, it's the Dursleys for telling a little boy he was. They're just jealous of you buddy, ok?"

The little one nodded, but his face betray the fact that he didn't believe him.

"Dear, tell me," she interrupted, coming to stand beside the kneeling Remus, "What makes you a freak, other than the fact that that fat, pompous, Muggle told you you were?"

He shrugged before asking, "Muggle?"

"None magic people."

"Oh…I don't know. When I asked him, he just told me to stop asking questions and threw me into my cupboard."

**~X-x-X~**

Several attempts later to get him to change his mind on what he knew was the truth, it was decided that they would take up the argument anew later on. The next order of business was to get him some food, then new clothes and toys.

After a superb meet of bacon, fried eggs, and pancakes, he was given a brand new outfit and told to dress. After he did so, they led him out of the apartment for the first time. The front door turned out to be a portrait of an old man watching over sheep on a hill overlooking the ocean. The surprising fact, like the photos in the apartment, was that they moved. The old man, who's name he latter learned was Thomas, actually waved them off.

Several hallways and staircases later ("We'll give you a tour later today or tomorrow," Moony promised, seeing his confused and lost expression,), they stood in front of a stone gargoyle.

"Ice Mice," Minerva said to it, much to his confusion.

He opened his mouth to ask why she had said that, but dropped it in amazement as the gargoyle sprang to life and out of the way. The wall behind it opened to reveal a long spiral staircase, spinning around like an escalator. All three of them stepped onto it and spun higher and higher until as it deposited them in front of a large gleaming oak door, the brass knocker in the shape of a griffin.

The little boy watched in fascination as Moony reached up and rapped in twice. They stood for a few moments in silence before they heard a faint, "Come in!"

The door swung open on it's own to reveal a large circular room, it's walls lined with multiple cabinets and thin legged tables that held many curious looking silver instruments. They whirring and puffs of smoke they admitted adding to the many funny little noises that already filled the room. The walls were covered in more moving portraits, some of whom waved at him. He couldn't help feel as if in a museum, or an antique shop. A large, claw footed, desk sat at the back of the room. A shelf sat behind and above it, holding a rather old shabby wizard's hat that seemed to watch them as they moved about the room. On the left side of the office, was a large fireplace which seemed to be their destination.

In the corner behind the door sat a perch on which sat a crimson bird the size of a swan, a glittering long golden tail fell behind it, and it had gleaming golden talons. It looked at him with beady, but wise, black eyes over a long sharp golden beak. He could see massive wings folded behind him.

"This is Professor Dumbledore's pet phoenix, Fawkes," Remus explained at the child's wondrous expression. "Wonderful creatures phoenixes…they're extremely loyal, their tears have healing powers…" he trailed off, and helt his hand out to the large bird, who nestled into it. He let out a single note cry, and it was one of the most beautiful things the child had ever heard…

He felt a hand on his shoulder then as Remus steered him away from the perch and in from of the hearth, where Minerva had pulled a small draw-string bag out of an inner pocket of her slightly old-fashioned dress, as well as a her wand. She pointed it at the fireplace, which burst into flames, and pulled out some powder from the bag. She threw this in the flames, and they watched as they flashed emerald green.

"Harry, we're going to be traveling by Floo powder, alright? This means we're going to use the fire to get to Diagon Alley. Do you understand?" Remus asked, speaking in gentle tones to the scared little boy.

He nodded unsurely in answer.

Remus bent down and scooped him up in his arms, holding him close. Immediately upon being in the older man's grip, Harry's arms were around his neck in a death grip.

"It'll be alright," they assured him, "Just remember to keep your elbows tucked in, your eyes closed, and don't fidget or panic… it would also probably be a good idea to take your glasses off so they don't get broke." The last one was added in as an after thought by the Werewolf, who had a sudden vision of the boy's father falling out of a fireplace and breaking his own.

"Now it will be okay, I'm going to be with you the whole way alright?"

That calmed the child down, and in he stepped with him still in his arms.

"Diagon Alley!" he called cheerfully, smiling as the boy squeezed his eyes shut tight.

After the customary dizziness wore off, the graying twenty-three year old stepped into the dimly lit grubby-looking barroom. The Leaky Cauldron, who's back alley housed the entrance to the Wizarding world's most famous shopping district. But they wouldn't be visiting there today. It was to Muggle London they would be headed.

Seated at a table in the corner sat Sirius, who stood up as soon as they entered and hurried over to them.

"Get here alright?" he inquired while they waited on their old Transfiguration professor to make her appearance.

"Alright. Had a little trouble when Prongslet freaked out over using the Floo for the first time. I think we scared him when we didn't explain what was going to happen before we set the fire…"

After McGonagall stepped out and Magiced the soot off the three of them, they hastened to get out of the pub before someone recognized them…but they weren't quick enough.

"The usual Remus?" Tom the barman called out, already reaching for a glass.

"No thanks! Just passing through today!" Remus called back in answer, never stopping walking for the door.

"Bless my soul…" they heard him whisper. "It's Harry Potter…"

That got everyone's attention. And they were so close to escaping to…

The noise level intensified as the patrons of the pub abandoned their drinks to crowd around the three adults. Frightened by the noise, the child hid his head in the crook of the werewolf's neck. He pressed his hand to the back of his head in comfort.

"Oi! Buzz off! Can't you lot see you're scaring him!" Sirius yelled in frustration as they began to try and battle them off. Everyone in the bar seemed to want to touch the Boy-Who-Lived. This wasn't good for the shy boy, especially when he didn't even know he was famous!

But the yell had the desired effect, and soon they were joining the throngs of people on the streets of London. Their first stop, a children's clothing store to outfit the boy in everyday clothes, pajamas, and some formal stuff just in case. Clothes that had never been worn, and weren't so big that they swamped him as his cousin's had. There second stop would be to a toy store to get him a few things to play with before Christmas, when they would load him down with stuff. After that, it would be time for lunch, then to Honeyduke's Sweet Shop, then back to the castle.

Around the block and several streets over from the Leaky Cauldron, there was a small children's shop where they bought him several pairs of trousers, various T-shirts, a jacket, sweaters, button down shirts, socks, and underwear as well as a pair of trainers and a pair of boots. From there, they went to a toy store next door.

Harry's eyes widened considerably when they entered the rather large store.

"I get toys?" he asked breathlessly, as if he couldn't believe this was real. He'd acted like this at the clothing store too, nearly bursting into tears. The look of surprise on his face was heartbreaking to the three adults.

"Of course you do Harry. Every kid needs toys" Sirius answered, trying to hide the sadness he felt for his beloved godson. He couldn't help but wonder if his friends were turning over in their graves if they'd known what would happen to their son…to not even have toys? The little one was trying not to show it, but they could all tell from the way that his eyes sparkled that he was excited.

"Harry, you can go and choose whatever you like. Go on," Minerva instructed, giving the boy a tiny push forward. The three followed after him, trying not to laugh at the excited little boy.

"Can I – I mean, am I allowed this?" Harry was holding up a stuffed wolf.

Sirius couldn't help the grin that spread over his face. He was pretty sure that Remus was grinning next to him. "Of course you can Harry. Do you want me to hold him for you while you look for some more toys?"

Harry grinned, handed him the wolf, and wondered off again, soon returning with a stuffed dog, then a cat, and finally a doe. His next selections included a toy train, several picture books, a puzzle of a dragon, and two chapter books. They figured that would be enough for now, since Christmas was so near, and led the slightly crestfallen boy away from the store. He'd been having fun going through all there stuff…

They let him pick their lunch place, and he did it gladly, picking out a small family owned place that overlooked the river. Then they made the trek back to the pub laden with the many bags of the boy's new possessions.

With magic, Remus sent the things back to Hogwarts. Then it was time they Apparated to the candy shop. If the toy store had gotten a surprise reaction, it was nothing compared to their last stop of the day. He stood in shock for a full five minutes, slowly looking around at the different kinds of Wizarding sweets.

After talking to the owners, they allowed him to walk around the shop and taste anything that caught his fancy. Soon, he had a small pile of favorites. They bought him a small stock of each, as well as some for the professor, and left. Each planned to come back later for his Christmas candy.

After they got back, they started the tour of the castle and it's grounds, which would take several days since it was so vast. The small boy met several of the teachers and gained a new friend with Hagrid, who had scared him when they first met. After a few moments in his presence though, the little boy began to come out of his shell with him which surprised all of them. He'd been around them the most and he was still a little guarded…

But it was that surprising if you think about it. After all, there was just something you have to like about the gentle half-giant.

The thing that had excited him most though was not the gamekeeper, but the Quidditch pitch. He watched in silence wonder as six Ravenclaws played a game of Two on two, with the extra players playing keeper. He had a look of longing on his face as he watched the older teens shoot by, and thus they were clued in on what one of his gifts had to be. After all, they all three knew that James Potter wouldn't have wanted his only son growing up not playing the great game. They also resolved to go over the numerous rules with him at the first possible moment, and maybe take him to a few games….

He was especially taken with the Professors Sprout, Hooch, and Flitwick.

After the first part of the tour was done, the group retired to the apartment for the night, and Harry was given a quick showing of it as well before they set down to a meal fixed by Cloey. The small house elf burst into tears when he informed her it was one of the most delicious meals he'd ever consumed.

After dinner was another tense moment for them. Harry had finally worked up the courage to ask who the two strangers were in the pictures. The laughing red-haired woman and the smiling hazel eyed man he remembered from his dreams. The ones he knew as only Flower and Prongs.

All three adults had gaped at him and he was suddenly struck with the realization that he was suppose to know them.

"Harry…did the Dursleys never tell you about your parents?"

"Yes, they did! They died at a young age in an automobile crash. They were drunken delinquents, and the car-crash was there fault because they had been drunk-driving, thus landing my worthless self in the charity of my hardworking relatives!"

After he had said this, he had the feeling he had said something very wrong. But he had just reported what he was told! So why were they angry?

For a brief moment, all three of them once more wanted to kill the worthless relatives he'd grown up with. They alerted him that what the version of his parent's deaths was one of the biggest lies in the history of the world, then they proceeded to explain what really happened. They left out the part that he was famous, and that it was one of their best friends that had been the traitor…but at least he knew now.

Until he fell asleep that night, they told him stories of his parents. About his father's antics at school, and the way his mother shot down all his date proposals until seventh year. About many things… And so ended the first full day that Harry was with him. His family.

**~X-x-X~**

As soon as he exited his room that faithful December morning otherwise known as Christmas day, he was met with the sight of a large pile of brightly wrapped packages underneath the small tree that decorated their home. It looked like more than Dudley had ever gotten at one time.

He knew there was no way any of them could be for him, but they truly were wonderful to look at. He wasn't expecting anything. These people had spent all they were likely to spend on him only a few days ago.

"Sorry master Harry, sir," the elf apologized, bowing low when he entered the kitchen to find breakfast, "Master Sirius told me you would all be eating in the great hall today, and requested I tell little sir to meet them their when you woke up."

He smiled at her, patted her still bowed head, and wished her a Happy Christmas as he fled back to get dressed and go downstairs. He fled so he wouldn't have to listen to her harping on him being such a kind master…three days, and he still couldn't get used to that. He also couldn't get used to not having to clean everyday. Everytime he tried, the house-elf shooed him away.

When he reached the great hall, he had to stop to both catch his breath and look at the breathtaking decorations. The twelve large trees situated around the room, the holly, the lights and the icicles… Much more beautiful than the Muggle's sloppy renditions…

He saw the old Marauders sitting on the other side of the nearly bare Gryffindor table, drawing several strange looks from the handful of students still there. He smiled happily and ran toward them, only slowing down to throw himself on Padfoot. Usually this was something he wouldn't dare do for fear of being sent back, but it was Christmas after all. Surely they could allow him a little exuberance on the holidays of all days.

**~X-x-X~**

One minute he was talking to Moony and wondering out loud how Harry would react to his gifts, the next he was on the floor with a bright eyed child clinging to his neck with a smile on his face.

"Morning Uncle Paddy," he said happily, "Morning Uncle Moony! Happy Christmas!"

The still sleepy werewolf toasted him with his coffee mug and returned the greeting.

"Looks like someone liked his Christmas presents!" he said with a smile, secretly pleased that their hard work at buying them had paid off, "Which one was your favorite?"

"What Christmas presents?" he asked, genuine confusion filling his face and voice. The two men exchanged glances before turning back to him.

"The gifts under the tree Prongslet…didn't you realize they were for you?"

"Why would they be? I've never gotten them before," he stated without blinking an eye, or looking sad about it, "Freaks don't deserve presents, just like they don't deserve toys. Uncle Vernon told me so." As per usual when he recited one of the rules Uncle Vernon had pounded into him, they looked shocked, confused, and angry. He didn't know why, after all it was the truth. Although they did seem to like to break them…

"Prongslet…" Sirius whispered, pulling him close to him so he could hear better. "Listen to me. You are not a freak. You have never been one and you never will be. If anyone is, it's that stupid Muggle to taught a little boy to believe he was one. So I never want to hear you call yourself on again, or to hear you say you don't deserve something because he told you you don't. Understand?"

There was something in the man's voice that made him agree right away without the normal protests that he usually gave when they discussed this.

"Now," he instructed, his voice barely back to normal, "Why don't you eat your breakfast, and we'll go up so you can open them OK?"

Still thinking it better not to argue, the little boy nodded and pulled the nearest dish to him, then began to scoop food onto his waiting plate. He felt Sirius kiss his head, but what he didn't see was the look that passed over the table between his two guardians.

With breakfast behind them, they trooped back upstairs, both of the elder two grabbing one each of the younger one's hands as they went.

That first Christmas with them was without a doubt one of the best. The large piles of presents did indeed spoil him, just as they intended, and included a magic stuffed animal of a phoenix from Dumbledore that sung and flew although not as well as the real thing, a Quaffle, a Beater's bat, a toy broomstick that he could learn to fly on until he was old enough for a real one, a new book entitled Quidditch Through the Ages, a several large boxes of candy, some Muggle toy cars, some fudge from Hagrid, and a small model of a Dragon.

After this, they spent the day until dinner out on the grounds having a snowball fight with a couple of the students. (Three Gryffindors, two Hufflepuffs, the six Ravenclaws from the pitch, and one out of place Slytherin.) Needless to say, the teams were uneven so Moony had sat it out to play referee. Harry ended up making friends with one of the Gryffindors, a second year named Bill. The older boy was gentle when playing with the three year old, and with further inquiry it was found out that he had several younger siblings, one of which was the same age as the Boy-Who-Lived.

Harry didn't want to leave his new friend, so he was invited back to the apartment to spend the evening. He confided that he could have gone home, but hadn't want to so he could escape the noise of the younger siblings who's numbers were six. His brother Charlie would be coming to school the next year with him, and it was hoped he would be in Gryffindor to.

At the end of the long and wonderful day they bid goodbye to their new friend acquaintance and issued him an invitation to come back whenever he wanted to visit. He promised he would at the soonest opportune moment…and so ended their first Christmas at Hogwarts.

**~X-x-X~**

Boxing day found Rolanda Hooch being begged by the school new resident midget, as some of the students had taken to calling him, to let him borrow one of the school brooms and fly around the pitch.

Honestly, it was bad enough when the first years did this, but a three year old who'd never been on a broom? Not even in Merlin himself commanded her to do it. When she told him this, he did the one thing that could make her go back on her decisions. He started to cry.

So less than an hour later Rolanda Hooch, now christened Aunt Ro-Ro, was flying over the school grounds with the little boy behind her holding on tightly to her waist. Everytime she turned, did a dive, or shot upward he just went with it instead of crying out in fear. She knew this little one would be a natural flyer when his overprotective "parents" when they finally let him out on a real broom by himself.

And so the day ended with the second member of the staff to be added to their makeshift family.

**~X-x-X~**

Soon after the flying instructor, the short Charms teacher and the school medi-witch were recruited as an uncle and an aunt. Shortly after New Years, Harry caught a cold. According to Madame Pomfrey, it was from spending so much time outside with to little protected against the elements. (Flying with Bill, as well as multiple treks to Hagrid's, and many more snow ball fights.)

The part that had led to the two staff members being adopted was because that particular day happen to be on the worst day possible for two of his guardians. The full moon.

When Sirius had been released from prison, Remus had hoped he would no longer be alone on those particular nights. It may have been selfish of him… but the transformations were horrible. The prospect of being able to face the night and not be alone again… They'd always been more bearable when with his friends there to keep him company.

So when the first one came and the little one was sick…he'd almost wished he was back with his Muggle relatives. After he realized what he'd thought about him, he'd felt ashamed of himself…there was always the next time though. He'd gone through countless ones before them right? He'd survived them for the last two years hadn't he?

He could do it for just one more night…

Sirius himself was torn. How does one choose between a friend in need and a sick child that needed you? Minerva would have watched over him, but she had classes all day. Cloey was helping in the kitchens. He had just about decided to stay when Hagrid and the short Professor had offered their babysitting services.

If anyone wanted to find the Charms Master that day, they needed only look in the Hospital Wing. Filius Flitwick, now Uncle Fil, conjured a reinforced couch for Hagrid and a large armchair for himself, and they then spent the day alternately reading to the boy from Quidditch Through the Ages and a Muggle book called Oliver Twist.

Poppy Pomphrey, Auntie Poppy, bustled around them listening to the stories and giving him his potions.

When the two raggedy men trooped in the next morning, slightly bleeding but both smiling tiredly, they found the three still camped around the hospital bed. Hagrid had dosed off right after supper the night before, so the healer had taken it upon herself to read his parts of the book. Every full moon after, they knew where he would go whether he was sick or not.

**~X-x-X~**

Pomona Sprout was a kind woman who loved the plants in her charge, as well as her students who wished to learn. But she was not the nurturing type…at least not with children. So when the young Mr. Potter showed up at her greenhouses for the first time, she was clueless on what to do. She knew most of the plants in the houses could be harmful to thoughs who didn't know how to care for them, and there was no way a three year old would.

She told him to stay away from the greenhouses…but like his father before him, he didn't. Even when she reported it to his guardians, he still came back. She finally got tired off it and cornered him one day and demanded why he wouldn't stay away. His answer surprised her.

"The flowers looked neat…I wanted to learn about them." Then he pointed to a plant who's vines were sneaking out the greenhouse window. "That's a Mongolian Fly Trap. It's known for it's tendency to trap people in a marsh and slowly tickle their feet."

At seeming her shocked expression, he shrugged sheepishly. "I got Moony to read me a Herbology book," he explained. From then on, the Professor had a helper in the lower level of danger greenhouses.

**~X-x-X~**

The small boy didn't exactly see eye to eye with the Divination Sibyll Trelawney, basically because everytime they met she wouldn't hesitate to predict his death in the most violent ways. Beheading by one of the suits of armor, poisoned, drowning, common cold, or his personal favorite, a turkey going mad and running him through with it's beak…This annoyed both him and Padfoot, and thus led to his first ever prank.

One quiet night at dinner, he came charging into the great hall screaming for help with all his worth.

"Professor Trelawney, help me!" he hollered desperately, "It's after me! I'm going to die!"

He sounded so scared that most of the student body believed him. The divination teacher stood up and asked what was bothering him. The three words he whispered it answer made her go white as a sheet.

"It's the grim…"

No sooner had these words left his lips, when the giant oak doors swung open to reveal a great black dog. It was snarling viscously, and snapping it's jaws at the young child. At the sight of him, the Professor let out a scream and fainted. The rest of the Professors looked confused, and Lupin just sighed and rubbed the side of his head. Many of the students let out screams to and hurriedly tried to get as far away from it as possible. Many ran for the doors in panic until they heard it.

_Laughter…_

The raven haired boy was laughing as the dog walked up to him and began licking his face.

"Good work Paddy," they all heard as he pat the dog on the head, "That'll teach the old bat to keep predicting my death in ridiculous ways!"

It was on this day that the students of Hogwarts found out the Boy-Who-Lived was not just an innocent little one as they'd thought. Behind his glasses and green eyes lurked a brain like his parents. The brain of a student…and the brain of a Marauder. And to the dread of the teachers who thought of him as a nephew, he would come to fully use it soon enough.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: And that's chapter two. If the two pranks in this chapter seem a little tame, I'm sorry. I'm not much of a prankster…so if anyone could give me some ideas, I would appreciate it. Anyway, thanks for reading the second chapter! I know it's not as good as the first, but…anyway, thanks!**

**Please Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

_**All credit for Harry Potter, the world the story takes place in, and the characters belong to JK Rowling. **_

In the beginning of his new life with them, it became an unspoken rule between Harry, Professor McGonagall, and the Marauders that he may explore anywhere in the castle as long as he alerted someone before hand…except one place. He may not descend into the dungeons. That was the territory of one Severus Snape, who had hated his guts from the first moment he looked at him, and of the members of the house Slytherin, who disliked him for the number of pranks he'd pulled on them so far. There wasn't a one of them that wouldn't like to get him alone down there for some payback. Hence why he was allowed no where near the Snake Zone, as he called it.

Long story short, the Potion Master was rude to him and his Uncles, and he was just plain tired of it! This led to his second prank, this time with the help of a new friend. While on one of his numerous adventures around the large school, he met the one thing everyone forgot to worn him about. The one thing didn't want him to meet…

Peeves the Poltergeist.

It had been another rainy day in the middle of January and he was exploring the Charms corridor…again. He'd heard Padfoot mention secret passageways and he was desperate to find them for himself. As he looked behind each portrait for the third time, he had appeared.

The little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth drawn back in an evil smile. He was dressed in loud, outlandish clothes including a bell-covered hat and an orange bow tie. He had black hair was solid. Not pearly white and transparent, like the ghosts the boy was still having trouble getting used to. Without the child knowing he was there, the poltergeist rubbed his hands together eagerly.

"Whatcha looken for sonny?" the spirit asked curiously, his evil grin growing.

The boy turned quickly and gaped when he caught sight of the floating man, who was now hanging upside down.

"Looking for secret passages…," he answered politely after he'd gotten over the worst of his shock, "Do you know where any are?"

"Maybe…"

A look of excitement flashed across his face.

"Can you show me some of them!" he asked enthusiastically, temporarily abandoning his search of the portraits.

The Poltergeist looked at him, a little in shock. He'd been in residence at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since the day it was first created, and never had a student acted so happy to see him. Not since the Marauders were in attendance only a few years ago…

Although then again, this wasn't a student was it? This was the son of the Marauder who was gone, and the one being raised by the last remaining two. Hadn't he pulled off a spectacular stunt on the Divination teacher only weeks ago?

"Tell you what…" he said with an evil grin, "You helps me withs a little project, and I'll helps you find your passages. Deal?"

Now the smile became a look of caution. This boy was already showing some of the necessary signs of being a truly wonderful prankster, seeing as he already had the necessary genealogical credentials. With family like his…

He could still remember those boys in their prime, and the creativity they'd shown. Being able to pull off such elaborate pranks without getting caught. The most respected those three of any other students that had passed through these halls. It was the least he could do to help this little one on his way.

"Nothing muches…just a little bit of fun on the Studentsies!"

The boy regarded him with a guarded expression. One of divided interest and fear.

"What did you have in mind?" he asked after awhile, giving in to curiosity.

The small floating man smiled. He'd taken his next steps on the road of the prankster.

"Well, heres'a what we're gonna do…"

**~X-x-X~**

February 14, 1984 did not start like any other day for the students of Hogwarts. The Scottish school didn't do much for Valentines day, so this morning was quiet a shock for them when they walked into the Great Hall to find it covered in pink and red hearts. Lacy streamers decorated the pillars and golden cherubs flew around the cloudy ceiling playing harps and singing with quivers full of arrows on their backs, occasionally throwing red heart-shaped confetti onto the tables which thankfully managed to magically not land in the vast quantities of heart shaped waffles, eggs, and other breakfast foods.

In short, it was a valentines wonderland…or horror land with all the girly pink. Whichever way you wanted to look at it. Actually…the Great Hall looked rather like the inside of Madame Pootifoot's in Hogsmeade, much to the delight of many girls and the horror of most boy's. No one in their right mind would set foot in that place willingly.

This was an overall curious way to find the Great Hall, but they didn't use much of their half asleep brains thinking about it…This was their most fatal mistake, for as soon as most everyone was sitting down to eat breakfast, that's when the trouble began.

As though a signal was given, the cupids drew their bows, nocked an arrow, and as one, aimed and fired said arrows at random students. Those who were lucky were able to duck under the table and therefore out of the way, those who got hit…well let's just say they weren't so lucky.

As soon as the arrows hit, the dark black robes of the student's uniforms turned bright shades of various pinks and reds. They either began belting out love songs in loud off key voices, or turning towards the closest person of the opposite sex and declaring their love to them while hugging them to them.

The words "I love you" could be heard everywhere, as well as horrible lyrics over the sounds of panic. Professor Dumbledore watched all this with an amused smile while the teachers tried desperately to return order to the Hall. Sadly in doing this, several of them got caught in the second volley of arrows.

The students who were not hit were given the day off of classes as many teachers were unable to teach do to the fact that they were still singing love songs. These poor souls, as well as the affected students were rounded up and taken to the Hospital Wing for a rattled Madame Pomfrey to try and sort out. She was not successful, but lucky for her it wore off the next morning.

The real clincher of the whole even was that one of the arrows sailed towards the pail faced and greasy haired form of the Hogwarts Potion Master, who was sadly not able to duck in time. His usual dark colored imitation bat like robes turned a nauseating shade of fuchsia, and he knelt down on one knee in front of the shocked Divination Teacher and proposed marriage on the spot. The flustered teacher accepted without question as she had always been sure she'd never be married. The two could be seen together the rest of the day holding hands and making love struck expressions at each other. In a fit of happiness they decided to get hitched as soon as possible, this being the very next morning. But sadly for the happy couple, the effects of the arrow wore off just as Snape was about to say "I do."

The culprits of the '84 Valentines Day Prank were never identified or caught, despite several attempts at solving the case. In all the pandemonium of the hall that day, no one noticed the small boy or the semitransparent ghost in the corner, both of which were laughing their heads off...or with their heads off as Peeves' case was.

**~X-x-X~**

Minerva McGonagall was a wise, powerful, kind old witch. She had taught hundreds of students in her time at Hogwarts from troublemakers who'd turned into Death Eaters to future Ministers of Magic. She'd lived through the threats of Grindelwald and the first rise of the Dark Lord Voldemort, she'd worked in the Law Enforcement offices in the Ministry, she'd even traveled the world…but none of this could prepare her for the task of living with the last two of members of the group the Marauders and the orphaned son of another.

No matter what she did to keep the damage the two men did to a minimum, somehow the two kept true to their prankster nature and corrupted him without her knowing when. When he was with her, she'd never known a sweeter boy. He had Lily's quiet nature and temperament most of the time, but when allowed to roam free…James's personality came out in force.

She was fairly sure the various pranks and tricks that had occurred around the castle the last few months were partially his doing, although how he could manage some of them at his young age…

Charming books to sing loud insulting variations of many Muggle and Wizarding songs everytime they're opened by a student? Dyeing the Slytherin house's robes the bright orange color famously associated with the Chudley Cannons quidditch team? Siccing multiple pairs of Garden Gnomes on the Hufflepuff's ankles, only to stop when they took off their socks and attached them to their ears? Chocolate Frog Cards on the ground that when picked up turns said person who picked it up into an animal for a week?

Even with his father's genes of prank loving…perhaps she should watch the boy more as well as his "Uncles" and also give the three a rather stern talking to…

**~X-x-X~**

Sirius stared up at the stars painted on his ceiling, done by himself and charmed to imitate the night sky. It was habit for the Black family to instill from an early age the constellations in their children. Many things of the Dark Arts could be traced to them, as well as the fact that it was family tradition to be named after them. Although he had never agreed with the practices of his so called relatives, the bright glowing points of light had always been a comfort to him from the moment he'd first began learning them. It was the only area of his "education" that had ever been satisfactory to his parents.

Now they were painted in his room, just as they'd been when he'd lived at Raven Cottage, just as they'd been at Grimmauld Place. They were apart of him…and also apart of his Godson.

As a baby, the little one's mobile had been moons and stars as well as a small rendition of each of the Marauders in their Animagus forms and a doe. Lily's Animagus. She'd become one after she'd found out about what they'd done for Remus. When nothing else could calm him down, it could with it's haunting playing of the melody _Claire de Lune. _

The whole contraption had been a gift from the Potter grandparents. Mrs. Potter just happened to be a distant cousin of his.

Speaking of his godson, he glanced down at the toddler snuggling into his side, peacefully unconscious in his arms. He'd been telling him the legends of the constellations… this in an attempt to bond with the still short three year old. While they'd found out many things about his life with the Dursleys, they knew next to nothing about _him. _Sure he'd been pulling pranks lately, (despite the fact that no one knew who was pulling them, the Marauders knew) they didn't know if he was pulling them because he enjoyed them or if it was just to try and live up to what he thought was their expectations.

Sure they told him stories of what his parents had been like, and how he looked like them. But they didn't do it to try and get him to turn into them! It was so he could know his parents and at the same time turn into his own person. This had been his first attempt at trying to get the fawn interested in his own hobbies…even if it was an old tradition of the family Black.

**~X-x-X~**

For once, the apartment was silent. Minerva was busy grading third year's Transfiguration essays, while Bill, Harry, and Remus worked on yet another dragon puzzle. Sirius had gone to the ministry.

After many months of getting Prongslet settled, he felt the time was finally right for his to try and rejoin the Auror department. If he did indeed get his old job back then the little one would remain with Remus during the day, who would be there acting as Harry's teacher. Everyone, minus Snape, had agreed it would be in his best interest to begin his magical education early on and had agreed to help out. But though he would be learning many subjects, Remus would be his primary teacher with the occasional help from his Aunts and Uncles. So Padfoot had gone to speak to Moody.

Harry himself had nodded when this was all explained to him, slightly confused by what an Auror was and excited at the prospects of learning magic for himself. He had hugged Sirius fiercely and told him good luck before he left, unaware that if he did in fact receive the job again...there was a chance he wouldn't come back some day.

The graying werewolf shook his head and smiled as the black haired child placed the last piece in its place, completing the picture. The boy nearly gasped as the puzzle shone brightly for a moment before it dulled, the outlines of the individual pieces suddenly invisible thus making it a solid image. No matter how many times he saw it happen, he could never get over that. The difference between magical toys and nonmagical.

For Harry to learn magic though, they must first get him a wand and that meant Ollivanders. He'd been living with them since just before December, it now being April that was four months. Since that first trip into Muggle London, they'd taken two more day trips although had firmly avoided Diagon Alley. He was still extremely shy and they wished to avoid the chaos that would erupt if the Wizarding world were around if their hero was around. It had already happened all three times they'd entered the Leaky Cauldron.

He was excited for all he had heard from Bill about the street full of Wizarding shops, but he was also scared. Large crowds always did that to him the first time or two he was around them.

**~X-x-X~**

He stalked through the once familiar halls, trying to escape the memories that had been created during the last war with his best friend and adopted sister. The three of them had applied to the training program straight after graduation and had gotten accepted almost instantly. They had been quiet the catch in those war frightening times.

Their very first day of classes, Alistor "Mad-Eye" Moody had stood in the front of the room and told them point blank that he already knew that most of them would die. He hadn't tried to sugarcoat it and had then went on to say that he could only do his best to prepare them for the War efforts. He had then began to drill into them the creed by which he lived by.

"CONSTANT VIGILENCE!"

The rest of that lesson was spent drilling them on laws, correct handlings of various situations, randomly throwing hexes at them when they least expected it, combat, disguises, poisons and their antidotes, and other important things needed for the job.

There days had been long, for they were trying to cram a three year course into a matter of months. The Ministry was low on Aurors and they needed all the help they could get as fast as they could get it. They had been hard and trying times…but still full of happiness. They'd made friends with their fellow trainees and their grizzled old instructor.

But thank Merlin it had been Moody that trained them. Maybe he'd drilled them endlessly on self-defense and protective spells that others might have said were overkill, but his peculiar paranoia had also trained them to look beyond the surface of even those things they was supposed to take for granted. If he hadn't been their teacher, more of them might have died that actually did.

To be back here again after all this time…it was hard.

He found the one eyed man easily enough. He was behind the desk in his large office, scowling at a report. Said report was do doubt from a training exercise gone wrong. He thought that because he'd seen the same expression on the man's face more times that he could count for that exact reason.

"Bad time?" he asked curiously from the doorway, sticking his head and half his torso into the once well known room.

The paranoid man's head popped up quickly, and his wand was in his head in an instant.

The Animagus put his hands up with a smile and calmly stated, "The very first time we met, you whispered something to each of the trainees we were instructed to never share with anyone else or forget. A codeword to tell you so you knew for sure it was us. Mine was _Silver-wings_."

This caused Moody to flash a real smile for once.

"Sirius! How's freedom treating ya son?"

"Good, and as a matter of fact I've come to talk to you about a matter of business."

"Oh? And what would that be?"

"I'd like my job back, which I talked to you about in Azkaban."

**~X-x-X~**

The three year old and the thirteen year old were both looking at the displayed broom in the shop window with identical looks of longing on their faces. Diagon Alley had everything a kid of any age could ever want, especially whatever two Quidditch obsessed children with an age difference of ten years desired.

They were in London to get Harry's wand, and had decided to bring Bill along for the day. It was a Tuesday and though he had classes, they had been suspended for the day on the terms that he looked over young Potter. It was actually just because Minerva felt the boy needed a friend not an adult along with them to help with the crowds… And so a letter had been written to Mrs. Weasley for permission. It had been received with one condition. They had to allow him to come home for lunch as he hadn't come home for Christmas.

This was happily agreed to and they'd left for a day that promised to be full of fun for everyone.

Set out was Remus, a newly reemployed Sirius, an excited Harry, and a nervous but still happy Bill.

The plans were simple. The first half of the day would be spent showing Prongslet the joys of the alley. Around noon they would head back to the Leaky Cauldron for Bill to Floo to the Burrow and the other three to eat in the pub. Three hours later they would meet up with him at Flourish and Blott's for them to find books for Remus to teach Harry from. Then they'd go to Honeyduke's, then back to Hogwarts in time for Supper.

Currently, Bill and Harry were caught up in gawking at the latest racing broom from the Nimbus Company displayed in Quality Quidditch Supply's front window. They'd been there for the last fifteen minutes alternately discussing the game and the different merits of the broom. It was thought to be the fastest model yet. In all honesty, the smaller boy looked even more like a little version of James…

"Alright boys, we have other stops to make!" Remus called to them cheerfully, breaking the moment.

Silently, he berated himself for thinking that again. He was still trying to get the boy to come up with his own interests, although his work was slow. The little one still insisted on imitating his parents…

It was as if he believed they wouldn't love him if he didn't do it.

With the two following them, the quartet headed for their first stop of the day: Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop, requested by the youngest member of the group. He then, upon arrival, relieved them of several Galleons, Knuts, and Sickles with the large number of things he found he liked. (They bought it for him if he looked at it for more than a few moments, doing the same for Bill.)

Their stops for the day included Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment, Potage's Cauldron Shop, actually entering Quality Quidditch Supplies this time instead of just leering into the window, they looked through the Magical Menagerie thus allowing the teen and kid to awe at the animals there. Obscurus Books, where they giggled over Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them…(As a matter of fact, he already knew quiet a bit about a lot of the creatures in the book. Hagrid loved talking about them, and he gave a lot more information.) Eeylops Owl Emporium was another store, where he looked longingly at a certain owl…a snowy. His guardians were resolved he would get it for his birthday.

Amanuensis Quills was one of their last stops before heading to the Leaky Cauldron, for the Weasley needed more parchment for classes. Because it was nearing the end of the school year, a lot of the Professors were having them write more essays then usual.

Upon entering the pub they headed straight for the fireplace, which thankfully already had a fire blazing cheerfully away in it. Remus withdrew a small worn bag from within his shabby robes and offered it to the redhead.

"Bill?" he said with a smile.

The teen returned the grin and reached for a pinch of the green powder within the bag.

"Now remember young Weasley," Sirius called to his back, "If you're not back on time, we're going to leave you behind!"

"See you later Mates!" he said happily, tossing the powder into the crackling flames.

"The Burrow!" he cried, stepping into it and spinning out of sight.

The black haired child watched his friend go sadly. He'd been having fun with him and his uncles today…

Sirius, seeing his godson's mood shift, decided it was time to get his mind on other things.

"So Prongslet," he said with fake enthusiasm, clapping his hands together, "What shall we get for lunch?"

The two older men knew this had the desired effect as the little one's face lit up. He always could be sidetracked with food…

**~X-x-X~**

As the redhead tumbled out into the familiarly cluttered kitchen, he had to smile at the normalness of the scene before him. The room contains a large wooden table with room enough for eight chairs around it, five of which and a highchair were occupied with various other redheads of different heights and ages. The teen's mother, Molly Weasley, was currently situated in front of the stove with her wand in one hand and a spatula in the other, keeping a pair of experienced eyes on both the cooking food and the large group of hungry children.

It was normal to him for he had become used to the room behind the Shepherd's portrait at school as an example of family, with the stern teacher that lived there, along with the child he called friend and the two men, one of which was just as immature if not more so than the little boy.

"Will you lot settle down please?," Mrs. Weasley was asking loudly from her spot in front of the stove, her voice easily carrying over the noise her younger children were making. A trick she learned from her near fourteen years as a mother.

"But we-" one of the little redheaded twins, Fred, began.

"Don't want to! That's-" his brother George continued.

"No fun!" the two finished together.

Well that was new…they'd still been talking separately when he'd left this school year.

When he saw the annoyed look on his mother's face, he figuring he should alert everyone of his presence and therefore save his younger siblings from her wrath. So, he cleared his throat rather loudly and braised himself for the explosion sure to come.

At the noise, everyone's gaze transferred to the fireplace. He smiled and waved.

"Hi all!"

The room was silent before sound exploded.

"BILL!" he heard multiple voices scream happily, right before he felt several thuds in his sides that knocked him to the ground. The Twins, Ron, and Ginny were all on top of him, clinging to various parts of his anatomy.

"You're home!"

"BILL!"

"What are you doing here?"

"Did you get expelled?"

"BILL!"

"We're glad to-"

"See you!"

"BILL!"

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH!"

The cries where silenced by Mrs. Weasley's order. Her children hurried back to there chairs and the room was quiet except for the continued crying of little Ginny for her brother. The rest of the Weasleys watched as their mother made her way over to her eldest son.

"Hi mum!" he said with a smile as she launched herself at him and nearly strangled him with a bone crushing hug.

"Bill!" she said happily, leaning back to get a look at him.

"You're looking a bit peaky, have you been eating?" she demanded.

He quickly nodded and swore he had eaten something at every meal since he'd last seen her.

"Well, I suppose you've just been working it all off rather quickly with exercises and class…why don't you sit down and tell us about this new friend of yours while I finish lunch?"

He quickly did as he was bid, finally quieting his younger siblings when he launched into how he'd met Harry and a little about him. He ended up staying home a few minutes over the three hours and had to hurry back to the meeting place so they wouldn't leave him. (They wouldn't have, but he didn't know that.)

Incidentally, in the entire time he spent at home not once did Bill mention that his new best friend was three years old or that he was Harry Potter…

**~X-x-X~**

Have you ever watched a three year old glare at a half transfigured button, and chase it around the table with his wand thus giving it a pretty good workout? Even better, have you ever watched that self same half transfigured button try to jump off a table and thus commit suicide?

If you haven't, Minerva McGonagall can tell you it is indeed quiet strange.

"Alright Harry, why don't you try it again?" she told the frowning boy as he glared at the now still button.

No response.

"Harry?"

Still nothing.

"Staring at it is not going to bring it back dear," she confided.

This got a response…just not a verbal one. Still silent, he pointed at the button. As if to prove her wrong, one of the legs it still had from it's previous form of a beetle twitched. The boy had never taken his eyes off of it.

"Well then…" she said, at a loss for words.

He finally moved his gaze and flashed her a plea for release.

"Aunt Minnie, can I _please_ go fly? We've been at this for hours, and we're making no progress!"

She sighed. She'd been a teacher for many years, but it was almost beyond her to try and teach basic transfiguration to an almost four year old who couldn't even control his accidental magic! How Remus did this everyday…

"Alright…" she said tiredly, "But only if someone goes with you!"

Because last night had been a full moon, Remus couldn't teach Harry any magic today. And because she had no exams to give today, the task had fell on her to do. A flying break would be a good time to grade the fifth year's essays…

The excited expression on Harry's face quickly faded.

"What is it?" she asked hurriedly, "What's wrong?"

"Everyone's busy…"

Or not…

"What do you mean, everyone is busy?"

He stared up at her with those sad puppy dog eyes he'd learned from his infernal godfather that she couldn't say no to.

"All the Aunts and Uncles are busy today grading, Moony is resting after last night's transformation, Padfoot had to go into the office, and Bill is taking his potions exam. No one can watch me…"

She sighed again. She knew what he was hinting at…and what she was going to say. She just couldn't say no!

"Alright, enough with the eyes! Go get your broom, and we'll take a break."

His face lit up.

"OK Aunt Minnie, I'll be right back!" he said, already heading out of her office and into his bedroom. He was back within five minutes with his shoes on, jacket on inside out, and Sirius's broom over his shoulder.

He held the broom out to her excitedly, but then something seemed to occur to him so he quickly jerked it back.

"Wait, can you even fly?" he demanded, a apprehensions look on his face.

In answer, she gave him an expression that dripped incredulousness.

"Did you seriously just ask me that?" was all she could ask.

He nodded.

"Give me a moment to change, and I'll show you just how well I fly little mister."

Twenty minutes later, exams were interrupted by loud shrieks. Familiar shrieks that could only come from the resident Hogwarts midget. If anyone was to look outside, which many did, they would've gotten the shock of their lives.

Minerva McGonagall, the strict no-nonsense Transfiguration professor/deputy Headmistress was swerving around in the air on a broomstick with the Boy-Who-Lived sitting in front of her. Gone where her normally full set of tartan Witches robes and tight bun, replaced by loose grey colored Quidditch gear and a loose ponytail. A large smile was on her face, and she handled the broomstick like a pro. Some of the tricks she was pulling were even on a Professional level!

What many didn't know about the woman was that she had been captain of the Gryffindor team in her fifth to last year at school. She also gone on to play four years for Puddlemere United before settling down to a job in the Ministry. When she'd started teaching at Hogwarts, she'd taken the Transfiguration post…but Quidditch had always been her first love. An issue her godson could easily relate to.

**~X-x-X~**

July 31, 1984 was forever marked as the day Hogwarts School saw it's biggest, happiest, and first birthday party yet. The forth year that Harry James Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived's, fourth birthday bash.

In attendance was the entire staff, including Snape much to his displeasure, the whole of the ghosts, minus Moaning Myrtle much to everyone's relief, several of Sirius's coworker's in the Auror department along with Mad-Eye, Bill Weasley, Mr. Ollivander from Ollivander's wand shop, and a young Hippogriff Hagrid was raising that had taken a liking to Harry named Buckbeak.

Cloey had baked a large three-tier chocolate cake for the occasion, the top one shaped like a large golden Snitch complete with delicate wings made out of icing. Around it sat four gold candles, interwoven between the words _Happy Birthday Harry! _in cursive scarlet writing.

She slowly sat it down in front of the birthday boy, lit the candles with a snap of her finger, and backed away quickly. As the group began to sing, she began giving the cake a dirty look. This surprised a few people…for about ten seconds. Then they knew why.

As soon as the last note was sung, and before the newly four year old Marauder in training could make a wish, the top of the cake began to move.

Every person in the room froze and watched as the Snitch exploded in a shower of chocolate and golden icing that rained down over everyone and everything. In the place of the once magnificent cake top was a familiar little semitransparent man wearing a party hat.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Peeves cried, flying out of the large pastry.

Moody, the ever paranoid Auror, had already whipped his want out and had a curse headed in the Poltergeist's direction. Said curse hit said Poltergeist and so his birthday plans for his friend were ruined.

The curse sent at him was a Confundus charm that confused him of who he was suppose to be attacking. The original plan was to pop out of the cake, yell his message to the whole room, then attach himself to Harry and give him a big sloppy wet kiss on the lips as a gift.

The plan was still done, just not to the right person. The confused not-ghost did in fact go for a black haired person…

Severus Snape now had a new reason to hate July 31. Firstly for the birth of the son of the love of his life and his worst enemy…secondly for becoming the first person in history to be kissed by a Poltergeist.

As the usually grimacing Potion Master gagged in the corner, trying to get the taste of Peeves out of his mouth, the rest of the room was laughing their heads off and congratulating Moody on his excellent shot.

He shrugged and shouted for the whole room to hear, his lifelong message…

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

This brought on a new wave of laughter after the shock of it had worn off, and Harry bestowing a new name on him.

Through his breathless laughter, the little boy tried to thank the man for one of the best birthday presents he'd ever gotten…but he mispronounced his name through his gasps for breath. Instead of Moody, he was now forever known to the kid as "Uncle Modey."

Luckily for everyone Cloey thought something might happen to the birthday cake, and had the good sense to bake an extra. As the laughter was finally winding down, the little elf brought out a cake easily bigger than the first, and easily bigger than herself which she pronounced "the real cake for Master Harry sir's birthday."

After everyone caught their breath (and Snape left the room to find something to get the taste of Poltergeist out of his mouth,) they began to sing Happy Birthday to Prongslet again.

All in all, it was easily the best birthday the boy ever had…definitely the most memorable. The tale of that night was told over and over again for many years to come…sadly for the Slytherin head, who wished everyone would let him forget the whole incident because whenever he thought about it, the taste came back.

**~X-x-X~**

The start of the new school year was memorable. Not only did Bill's brother Charlie and Sirius's cousin Nymphadora Tonks start Hogwarts, but the school saw it's first start of Term prank planned and pulled by none other than the resident midget.

Now a year older, a year wiser, more mature, and now armed with magic, the four year old was able to pull off a much more elaborate ploy than the Valentines day trick.

From the beginning of the sorting to Dumbledore's opening speech and command to begin eating, Harry was no where to be found. A cause of worry for much of the staff, Moony, and Padfoot who hadn't seen the little one all day.

That worry soon turned to understanding and mirth as his surprise began to take root.

As the student's began talking among themselves, and Charlie demanded to meet his brother's mysterious friend he still didn't know that much about…it began.

It started with a single sprinkle of glitter that soon multiplied slowly floating down as people began to notice them…

Then it was realized it wasn't glitter, but sparks. The question "Sparks to what?" was soon answered by the smell of something burning, and the sound of a timer ticking…

No one has yet managed to answer the mystery of how a four year old could get a hold of so many fireworks, get them attached to the ceiling, make them invisible, and time them to go off at such a time, all without someone spotting him as he worked…

Needless to say, there was a lot of explosions of that night and animals made out fire representing the houses doing the Cancan around the perimeter of the ceiling.

Over the loud talking of the students, the giggling of the culprit was heard.

With a nonverbal spell, Sirius had him hanging in front of the staff table upside down, still trying to control his laughter. The student body looked in amazement at the child when it was understood that the night's entertainment was his doing.

Bill smiled up at him, then turned to his brother.

"Charlie," he said, pointing at the upside down figure, "That's my best mate Harry."

"OI, HARRY!" he called to the little boy, "SAY HI TO MY LITTLE BROTHER!"

Over the laughter of the crowd at this, and the redheaded first year's hanging open mouth could be heard, "Hi Bill's little brother!"

When the two where formally introduced, along with the Metamorphmagus, in the safety of the apartment later on, a strange friendship was formed between the four. One that lasted through many years, and only grew larger as more Weasleys joined the school… Minus Percy.

Although wonder of wonders, the Weasley parents and younger siblings never found out it was _Harry Potter _their older children/ brothers were friends with…just a great guy named Harry.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know I said three shot at most on this, but I'm thing of going ahead and doing just one more chapter of this story. I'd appreciate it if you'd write back and telling me what you think. If it gets favorable reviews, I'll go ahead and do it. Otherwise, this is the end of this story.**

**Please look into my other Harry Potter story, **_**Lily's Choice**_**!**

**Thanks for reading, and please Review!**

**~Nine-Orcids**


	4. Chapter 4

_**All credit for Harry Potter, the world the story takes place in, and the characters belong to JK Rowling. **_

_Echoes of other creatures, more dangerous than he…_

_Smells of the forest, the fresh sent of pine lacing the air…_

_The sounds. Crunching of leaf and twig underfoot…_

_Taste of the sweet grass…_

_The flashing of the trees as he joyfully ran past…_

_The thundering of hooves as the strange creatures surrounded him…_

_Pain in his flank as they hit him with arrows…_

_Darkness…_

As he awoke his unfocused mind was unable to determine where he was, nor could he tell through his blurry vision. It wasn't the same place he fell asleep, that's for sure. He'd gone to bed in his bedroom…now he was in a forest. He'd gone to bed in a pair of blue pajamas…now he was wearing nothing but the ripped pants.

He was not alone either.

Kneeling by his side was the blurry form of a centaur. A familiar centaur he'd met once on a trip into the forest with Hagrid while investigating the births of some new unicorns a few months before. The dark skinned creature had been nice to the little boy and had pointed out the location of the newborn foals to them.

"Firenze?" he asked, his thin voice fainter that usual.

"Yes little one…" the blonde haired half man said, pleased that the boy remembered him.

Looking around and still not recognizing his location, he asked, "Where are we?"

The centaur's expression flashed his confusion and surprise that the child did not know, then he glanced at the sky.

"Neptune has moved closer to Saturn this night," he muttered in answer, searching the stars.

Harry was struck with a memory of Hagrid telling him to never try and get a direct answer out of a centaur as they would usually leave you more confused than you were before asking the question if they graced you with a response at all. He honestly wasn't sure if the response was better than none at all, come to think of it.

"I'm gonna go ahead and venture to guess we're in the Forbidden Forest, am I right?"

When no answer was forthcoming, he could only assume it was confirmation.

"Alright then…"

Silence fell over the two as each respectfully studied their surroundings. The Forbidden Forest borders the edges of the Hogwarts grounds. As its name suggests, it is strictly forbidden to students at all times except when escorted by a staff member, such as for detention or class. Of course, with the various species of dangerous creatures living in the Forest and it's horrible reputation, few students actually wanted to get very close to the place.

It appeared from the limited amount of light that was reaching them that they were fairly far in the mass of black trees. He lay in a dull patch of soft grass nestled in between three tree trunks, who's lowest branches were interwoven above his head somewhat like a canopy.

"Do you know how I got here?" he asked, not really expecting an answer. He in fact did not receive one, so was not disappointed.

"How about which way is the castle?"

This caused the centaur to look up.

"We are deep within the forest here and a small child, almost like an infant such as yourself, would not survive the crossing back to the human realm," he said gravely. He gently bent down and offered his back to the boy, "I shall take you mayhaps far as the perimeter, the barrier that separates our two worlds."

The boy stared at him in shock as he fell silent and hurried to startle the horse half of his companion's body. That had to be the most he'd ever heard a centaur speak!

As the two ran through the forest, the flashing trees reminded the little boy of what the little he remembered before he'd woken up in the woods. He could remember some sights and smells, the sensation of running. The taste of grass seemed to be in his mouth. Flashes of brown and white plagued his mind, as well as the feeling of some growth protruding from the top of his head.

Before long and before he could even contemplate trying to piece the mystery together in his head, the ride was over and they were back at the edge of the grounds within sight of the castle.

"I shall take you to the castle, little one," Firenze confided in him, "There is much danger that lurks in shadow, even on these grounds. It would not do for one as young as yourself to be roaming this place alone so late at night."

Then he began walking towards the darkened castle doors.

"Hey, Firenze?" he asked his companion, trying again to get to the bottom of what had happened.

The half horse grunted in answer.

"Can you tell me how I came to be in the forest, and how you came to be with me?" he asked politely, praying for an answer from the overly talkative of late horseman.

At first their was silence, but as they approached the closed heavy oak doors, he said simply, "You came to be their by running as your inner animal, the same as your forefathers. The others of the herd shot you with neurotoxin dipped arrows, thinking you were prey. You changed back and I recognized you from your trips here with Hagrid. I volunteered to stay while the others continued the hunt and lead you out of our domain."

He fell silent again, and refused to say another word until they'd reached the castle doors, now revealed to be slightly ajar. Perhaps left open when he had exited the building earlier in the evening. That was good for him though. He still didn't know any of the secret passages out of the castle, despite the numerous ones he knew within the school's hallowed halls.

Gently, the centaur kneeled down so the raven haired child could better slip to the ground. He headed inside, but not before his night's companion had a few more choice words to bestow upon him.

"Little one, a bit of advice for you. You were lucky tonight to be found by a friend before something extremely dangerous found you. Learn how to control your power or this will happen again. Next time, your luck might not hold."

With these last words, the dark skinned centaur turned and began to run back towards his dark home. As per usual, his parting words left the four year old even more confused than he already was. He watched the creature gallop back towards the forest, the went back inside when he disappeared from sight.

As he lay in his bed that night, in a new pair of pajamas, he couldn't get back to sleep for the questions that were swirling around in his mind.

What had Firenze meant with all his cryptic answers? What had happened to him?

Both were his last thoughts before falling finally into blessed unconsciousness.

**~X-x-X~**

Years of fighting Dark Wizards, Creatures, and general lawbreakers with the Ministry's Auror department ha taught Mad-Eye Moody the importance of caution…and had served to make him one of the most paranoid people on the planet.

He suspected everyone of being after him unless they'd proven themselves to him, and even then he kept a weathered eye on them just to be sure. He'd lost part of his nose in a werewolf attack near the beginning of his career because he'd gotten cocky. One of his legs up to the knee to the Wizard Grindelwald, a curse no one had ever seen before that had begun to eat away his living tissue and bone, intensifying the pain tenfold. His eye to an insane Death Eater's knife when one of his younger subordinates had told her she was a hypocrite for supposedly being against Muggles and Muggleborns, yet using a Muggle weapon to kill them. She'd killed the boy and then threw it into his eye just because she could. Various other scars he'd received but lost count where…

It wasn't all that bad though. The scars were a testament of what he'd done, what he'd been threw in his long life. His fake leg was useful for stashing a spare wand incase his primary one was disengaged. After loosing his eye, he'd purchased a false one and charmed it to allow him to see anything hidden from him. Useful for telling if he was about to be ambushed.

But still, years of hardships and near death experiences had not prepared him for his biggest challenge of all.

Teaching a four year old how to dodge a curse.

The lad had good Quidditch reflexes that would serve him well in the game later on in life, and even with dueling. The grizzled old Auror just figured he should start learning both early. He was already learning the game…it was the other thing he needed work on, and Mad-Eye Moody was just the person to help him. Or so he thought.

After begging his guardians to let him teach him, the two had retired to a large room to begin practice. But any thoughts that this should be easy flew out of his head within a quarter of an hour. The child didn't know how to use the good reflexes he'd inherited from the Potter line…or rather, he wouldn't use them.

His reason?

The "curses" Uncle Modey threw at him were to fun to get hit with to dodge. Stupid Minerva and her rule he could only throw tickling charms at the kid…

But he had an idea. One that he was sure the kid would try and get away from.

Smiling evilly, he pointed his wand and muttered a spell.

The ball of light flew at the happily smiling child, who didn't even try to evade it. This was the little one's mistake because instead of the expected sensation of tickling he'd become used to, he felt a brief tingle…

When he looked down, his body was changing from florescent orange to neon green. After gaping at the rapidly changing colors of his body, a grin spread across his face.

"Sweet…" he muttered, lifting part of his shirt to examine it closer.

"Thanks Uncle Modey, this is awesome!" he called to his adopted uncle, running out of the room. He had to show Aunt Minnie this!

The older man watched as the child leave, suddenly hit with a sense of dread. Why did he have a feeling this was going to come back and bight him in the buttocks?

"Um, Harry?" he called after the Marauder in training, but there was no answer. The raven haired Potter was already gone. With this, he decided that it might be the best time for a tactical retreat…he had the feeling his life might be in danger sometime in the near future.

**~X-x-X~**

For the first time in living memory, a Hogwarts teacher had to be carried out of their classroom in the middle of a lesson and taken back to their rooms because they've fainted.

The transfiguration teacher had frozen when she caught sight of her rainbow flashing foster nephew in the doorway of her classroom, and promptly passed out when he raised his hands and waved.

The rest of the class was alerted to what their teacher was staring at when a small voice said from the doorway, "Hi Aunt Minnie!"

Everyone turned just in time to see him switch from sky blue to a dark shade of lavender, then flash chartreuse before settling on Gryffindor scarlet.

Later on that evening, the newly regaining consciousness woman was on a mission. To find out who had spelled her godson so they could not only take their work off for it was a charm that only the caster could remove, but to also make them pay for their insolence at messing with her kit.

She was pretty sure she knew who had done it as well.

"PEEVES!" she yelled angrily upon entering the great hall that night at dinner.

"Yes Minnie?" cackles Peeves in answer, his voice full of amusement thus convincing her more that he was the culprit.

The students all looked up expectantly, excited for some entertainment to go with their evening meal. There hadn't been a prank in awhile.

"Firstly, do _not_ call me that," says Professor McGonagall dangerously. "Merlin alive, you are like a floating image of Potter and Black." In the days to come, many swore they heard Professor Dumbledore snort into his treacle tart and hastily covers it up as a cough.

The poltergeist beamed at what he took as a compliment, although it clearly wasn't meant as one.

"Secondly, I want you to take off that disgusting prank you placed on Harry!" she demanded, pointing to where the color flashing child seated with three of his friends at the Gryffindor table. He waved and then turned cotton candy pink, much to everyone's amusement. Not to be outdone Tonks quickly changed her hair color to match him, thus causing further laughter.

"Sorry my lady," the poltergeist said, not sounding the least bit sorry, "but it was not I who did it to the sproutling. Only he who did this to Sprog can take it off of him!"

"Anyway," continues Professor McGonagall. "If it was not you who charmed him, than who was it?"

"Icky little Harry can tell you," replies Peeves mischievously. "I bet he wanted it done so that he could get more attention!"

"And you are telling me the truth?"

"Yes, ma'am. This time Peevsie is telling you the truth."

"What do you mean_ this _time?" she replied, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Oh – erm, nothing! Bye your deputy Headship!" yelled Peeves, his voice suddenly a bit squeaky and a look of fear spreading across his face. With that he zoomed out of the hall, much to the continuing amusement of the student body. It didn't help that a moment later, Prongslet flashed from gray to fuchsia.

True to the semi-ghost's word, the Transfiguration teacher rounded on the little boy next.

"Alright Harry, out! Who did this to you!" she demanded of the smiling child

"Uncle Modey!" he said proudly, happiness present in his voice.

She pursed her lips.

Moody…

The next day, the Daily Prophet had a small story in one of it's back pages covering an unidentifiable body that was dropped off via port key at St. Mungo's. Numerous hexes and human Transfigurations had been used on the still unconscious unknown person. It has been confirmed that it is a male, and he is missing both an eye and a part of a leg. No suspects have been named in the case, but Aurors are hoping he can identify his attacker when he awakens and is put to rights.

On a completely unrelated note, the episode with the color changing resident midget sparked a change no one expected. Nymphadora Tonks had taken a liking to the shade of pink she'd turned her hair to match Harry and therefore, it was not uncommon to see the small clumsy first year walking around sporting that shade of hair.

**~X-x-X~**

Due to the fact that he picked up a mysterious bacterial virus somewhere, Harry had a cold (again) and was forced to stay in bed three whole days. According to the school Medi-witch, it was rarely seen and the only place she knew of it existing near the school was deep inside the Forbidden Forrest, which the boy had had no access to of late.

His symptoms included a slight fever, a headache, and a rather nasty cough he was to take a potion every other hour for.

Because of the fact that Sirius, Minerva, and the rest of the boy's adopted family had to work, Remus was elected to sit with him for the day. He could've gone to the Hospital Wing and be looked over by Madame Pomfrey, but their had apparently been a potions explosion down in the dungeon which she was extremely busy with.

So the comfort of being sick and miserable in his own room was all his!

"So Prongslet, what would you like to do today?" the clueless werewolf asked with false cheer. He did love the boy, and often spent time with him…just never when he was sick though. He'd never been good with ill children, and wasn't entirely sure what one was to do with them.

The junior Marauder said nothing, and just stared at him with unblinking eyes. Moony began to get a bit uncomfortable while being subjected to the unwavering gaze of the four year old.

"Harry," he said, being very careful not to voice his slight distress, "I would deeply appreciate it if you could quit staring at me, it's a bit unnerving."

No change.

"Harry, I'm serious here! Stop!"

Still nothing.

"Harry, Stop now or I'm just going to go and leave you to suffer by yourself!"

He still wouldn't stop…

"Fine, be that way!"

He jumped up from the chair he occupied so quickly it fell backwards, and headed towards the door.

"Uncle Moony, wait!" he heard, just as he was about to slam the door behind him.

The werewolf stopped short and turned to stare at his foster nephew. The boy had crawled forward in the bed, now hanging onto one of the two large posts that formed the footboard. A look of panic was replaced the unblinking look that had freaked him out earlier.

"Please stay…" he whispered, so faintly even his superior ears had trouble picking the words up.

The sandy haired man smiled at the young one and reminded himself that the lad was only four. He wasn't used to being alone while so vulnerable right now…

"Of course I will Prongslet," he assured the boy, moving back to pick the chair up and retake his seat.

"Now, can you tell me what you'd like to do? I know being unwell is horrible, but I've found having something to pass the time takes your mind off of it."

The boy studied him for a moment before asking something that deeply shocked him.

"Can you tell me a little bit about Lily…I mean Mum?" he asked quietly, still studying him as though to judge his reaction to his request.

He called her 'Lily'. Not Mum, but Lily.

LILY!

It was as if he didn't even think of her as his mother, and only called her that as an afterthought when he saw the shock that must have formed on his face without him knowing.

Before he could stop them, the words were out of his mouth. The demand of why he didn't call the deceased woman by her proper title…

"Because," the little boy answered, "In all honesty, that's not what she feels like. I barely know anything about her other than the facts that she had red hair, she used to hate Dad before she fell in love with him, she was Head Girl, and her Animagus form was a Doe."

He said this so matter of fact-ly that the werewolf couldn't help but see his reason.

So he granted the little boy's request for stories on his mother.

For the rest of the day he learned new things about the red headed woman known as Lily Evans-Potter. How she was afraid of flying, but loved to watch his father play Quidditch. How she was a wiz at Charms and Potions. Her Patronus, like her Animagus, was a Doe. Up until the fifth year, she'd been friends with Snape. That his father had asked her out approximately 454,213,715 times before she finally said yes (not that anyone was counting.) How she was an amazing cook, but hated cleaning up after herself…

So many things…

Deep into the evening they talked of the dead woman, telling so many tells of the flower with so many still to come. So long they talked that the two fell asleep in the living room, where they had moved after Harry had grown tired of the bedroom.

Sirius and Minerva returned to the apartment to find the two sleeping in front of the fireplace, a fire blazing cheerfully away. Two mugs of cooled cocoa sat on the coffee table before their dozing forms. A sight that brought a smile to both of the intruder's faces, and sent then quietly racing for the camera.

**X-x-X**

_The waves tickled his nose as he ran further in, the droplets his feet kicked up flying into his face._

_The breezes that blew across the small ocean smelled wonderful to wilderness deprived nose. The scents of many animals, both magical and nonmagical in origin, could be smelled here as it was the only real waterhole for some distance minus the small streams that flowed deep in the forest…_

_He was content…_

**X-x-X**

To the young one's enormous dismay, it seemed his bug would get a lot worst before he could get better, even with all of Madame Pomfrey's skills in Magical Medicine.

On the second day his symptoms now included a sore throat, a runny nose, a worse cough, a higher fever, being unable to move his right leg, and a harder time speaking. All this combined with his original complaints in a bored four year old was a bad combination. Happily, his "Grandfather" and said grandparent's pet phoenix could sit with him for the day.

Oh the joy…

So far, the day had been spent with the old man reading to him from a book, telling never before heard stories of his parent's school days, and randomly bursting out into song. The little boy's favorite so far was a hummed rendition of "God Save the Queen" in F minor. It really was quiet good, for the old man was a tad dotty and through in a bit of "Yankee Doodle" at the end.

But the crowing moment of the evening was when he told his foster grandson the story of how his mother finally agreed to his father's advances.

It went somewhat like this:

"It had started like any other day that fall morning. The sun was shinning, the birds singing, and Lily Evans shouting at James Potter to shut up about Quidditch.

"The two had agreed to a truce at the beginning of the year as Head Duties would have been unbearable otherwise. Over time, the two had become pretty good friends. It helped that James actually quit asking her out. What he didn't know what that his apparent lack of interest in her was exactly the thing that started her realizing that, somewhere along the way, she'd fallen head over heals for him and his cocky persona.

"She began dropping hints that she might say yes if he asked her out again, but he never seemed to get it. Or so she though. In his head though, he confessed later, he'd been fighting with him self not to ask her out and perchance ruin everything he'd worked so hard for.

"It seemed the quiet, but popular, red head got fed up with waiting for him to act, so she took matters into her own hands. She announced, for the entire student body to hear, that if he didn't hurry up and ask her out, she was going to actually say yes to Sirius the next time he asked her out as a joke.

"The raven haired Marauder had been so shocked that he fell out of his chair and somehow launching the fried egg on his fork into the air, thus making itself attach to the ceiling.

"He'd promptly asked her if she'd like to accompany him on the next Hogsmeade visit, but it had come out jumbled together which made him sound like an idiot. She'd said yes anyway and the two had shared a kiss, much to the enjoyment of their amused spectators.

"On a side note," the Professor confided, "The piece of egg had stayed on the ceiling for the rest of the year, despite the House Elves many attempts to get it down. In the end it had fallen into the hair of a visiting, extremely vain, school governor who was, until this day, afraid to set foot in the school for fear of more falling food."

As an afterthought, he added that Professor McGonagall had felt it a good idea to issue them a congratulations for finally getting together and a detention for PDA in the same sentence.

**X-x-X**

_The clattering of hooves against granite rang through the ancient hallways, the sound echoing against the stones._

_Strange paths, these lightless caverns he could not find his way out of…_

_He wanted only to find his way outside, to the forest where it was safe…_

_But the way was a mystery to him here, he who could find his way effortlessly through the trees and trails of the black woods…_

_How he ended up here, he hadn't a clue. He knew only that he must run and find the sky. To find the sky ablaze with stars, it which would could help him find the way to his home among the leaves…_

_The howls of a predator was behind him, closing fast along with the clatter of another. He did not know why they pursued him, for they were not the smells of those on the hunt._

_If he could only get outside…_

**X-x-X**

As he struggled to consciousness, his first thought was that he was cold, which probably wouldn't be good for his still disease ridden immune system.

.

His second that his bed was oddly harder than he remembered.

It was at this moment that he noticed the feeling of a cool wind blowing across his skin, the tweeting of birds in the distance, and the weak light of early morning on his face. None of these things could be seen or heard from his room, even if the window was wide open.

His eyes snapped open and in shock, he took in his new surroundings.

The top of the Astronomy Tower.

Memories of the night before flooded into his brain, the unexplainable images and sounds and smells. The clattering of hooves, which could only belong to an animal of some sort…

He was fully away now and noticed two things. The first was that he wasn't wearing anything. The second was that he wasn't alone.

Sirius and Remus were curled up on either side of him in their Animagus forms, lending him at least some warmth.

That was what really shocked him, that Moony had changed. He hated to be in the form of a wolf more than he had to be. Sure it was different from the one he was forced to change into every month, but it was still a wolf…

With his waking up, his body shifted thus alerting the two canines of his new alertness.

Padfoot jumped to his feet and starting nudging the little boy with his nose, trying to get him to his feet. It wasn't good for him to be out in this weather while still sick, and they hadn't moved his earlier because he hadn't switched back yet. Only before he had awoken had his shape finally returned to his normal form. Even as men, they would not have been able to move him. There were spells that could force him back into his human shape, but it they were to much for such a young body to handle…

He had become a stag, a young fawn to be exact with only his first spikes as far as antlers went. He had a lithe, compact bodies and long, powerful legs suited for rugged woodland terrain. His coat was colored a dark brown, spotted with white on his hindquarters and underbelly. He had watched them with panic evident in his emerald green eyes, those he'd inherited from his mother, the same of his human self. A white patch of fur, shaped like lightning, sat in the middle of his forehead between his horns.

The two groan men had watched the small four year old turn into an animal right as he dropped of to sleep, and basically fling himself out of his bed. They'd watched as well how he'd rioted his imprisonment in his own bedroom, breaking things with flying hooves until they finally threw open the door and let him out.

They could do nothing but change themselves and trot after him…

He'd panicked again when they'd finally cornered again, which ended in a short scuffle in which the little one had gored Moony in the side. It was only after they backed off that he calmed down long enough for them to convey they were friends and meant him no harm. They only wanted to help him.

Now that he was human again, the two morphed back. Sirius picked up the only half awake child and lay his godson's head on his shoulder. Over his raven colored hair, he exchanged a worried glance with Remus.

"Paddy, what happen?" the tired boy asked, his voice coming out almost incomprehensible most likely do to drowsiness.

"We'll tell you later Prongslet," he answered, rubbing his back, "Just get some sleep right now, ok bud?"

"Kay…" he whispered.

And then he knew no more…

**X-x-X**

The two Marauders studied their nephew's sleeping form, now safely snuggled in one of the Hospital Wing's unoccupied beds. Sitting with them also was Hagrid, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Bill, and Madame Pomfrey, who was feeling his forehead.

"You say he changed just as he fell asleep?" Minerva asked, trying to make sense of what had happen to her godson that night.

Remus nodded, not taking his eyes off Harry's face. He already had an idea of what was going on.

"Lily…" he muttered, unconsciously voicing part of what he was sure had happened.

"What?" several voices asked at the same time, inviting him to continue the thought.

"Lily," he said louder, turning to his brother. "Don't you remember Padfoot? Before Lily knew she was pregnant, she was working on the Animagus transformation. She'd done everything but the meditation stage before she found out, but she had to quit because it had been known to trigger first time transformations. It could have been dangerous for her and Harry if she had gone ahead and transformed, so she held off on that until she gave birth. I think the charms, potions, and transfiguration spell worked on Harry while he was in the womb! The random change could be because he hasn't done the final stage yet, which is what allows you control."

The Transfiguration teacher considered this a moment before nodding slowly.

"That could be it," she said. "The effects of the change have never been attempted by expecting mothers. In every likelihood, it could affect the fetus as well as the mother. The process changes the cellular structure and the fetus is dependent on it's carrier until it's ready to be born…"

Bill looked between the two adults with confusion.

"So basically," he asked, "He was born an Animagus, but can't control it cause he didn't do part of the process?"

"That's right," Remus said nodding again, "At least that's what we think. It's the best possible explanation we pickles have, but we can't know for sure that's what it is and not just a joke from Peeves unless it happens again."

It was at this moment that Hagrid froze in his seat, his eyes widening with some realization. Everyone turned to the half giant, waiting for him to share what he knew.

"A couple'la days ago, one of tha Centaurs, Firenze is 'is name, tracked me down and tol me'a buncha hog's wash about someone bein in the forest tha shou'na be there. Said he was'a shifter of sorts and was a dark haired young'un I knew well..."

They stared at him incredulously.

"And you're just bringing this up now?" McGonagall demanded, her voice a bit louder than she intended. Before she could say anything else, a noisy yawn was heard behind her.

Harry was awake.

The young boy's seemed paler than usual, most likely do to the fact that he had been outside in his still somewhat delicate condition. As the room's smallest inhabitant began to shake the effects of not being able to focus properly, he finally noticed he wasn't alone nor was he in his room. He also remembered the strange only half there memories he'd had right after he'd awoken in the forest. And that time he woke up laying part of the way in the lake…

And now the time he'd awoken on the Astronomy Tower flanked by Moony and Padfoot. The only difference this time was that he had been found out.

"Harry, dear," Minerva began, but was quickly interrupted by an impulsive Sirius.

"Why didn't you tell us this had happen to you before?" the dog Animagus demanded angrily, ignoring the glare the graying woman sent him.

"What your Godfather means to say," the ex-Quidditch player said gently, reaching up to smack the younger man, "Is why didn't you come to us when you began experiencing strange alterations to your shape?"

The child slumped into the bedcovers and refused to meet their eyes, but they could all see the guilt in his expression.

"For one thing, I wasn't aware that I was changing. All I remember is weird flashes of memory that weren't mine and waking up in random places I don't remember going to," he said, voice muffled through the blankets.

"But why didn't you tell us?" Remus questioned, his own anger evident in his tone. "It could have been something serious. What would have happened if you had wondered someplace dangerous, and we didn't know? We could have put a stop to it…"

There was no answer.

"Harry, answer me! Why didn't you tell us."

A reply finally came, but it wasn't what any of them expected.

"Because I was afraid…" came his whispered answer, so faint none of them were truly sure they heard it.

Bill reached over and dragged the quilts off of his head so they could hear him better. "Care to say that again bud?" the adolescent red head asked, his voice betraying none of the hurt he felt that the kid hadn't felt that he could confined in him.

"I was scared," he whispered again, still not looking at any of them. "Nothing like this has ever happen to me, and I had no idea how any of you would react. For all I knew, you could have acted like the Dursleys…"

This revelation caused most of the adults to stiffen in shock. To be compared to those Muggles…

It had been over a year since the inky haired child had come into their lives here, and he hadn't mentioned his relatives since the first few months. They'd all believed they'd restored the doubt he felt in adults, but apparently they'd been wrong. He still felt he couldn't trust them with his problems, not trusting any grown up with the fact that he was going to sleep in his own bed and waking up on random places in the grounds with no idea how he got there.

No matter what they said or asked further, he refused to speak again. The child was so mature for his age, sometimes they had a hard time remembering he was only four. It was hard for them to accept he couldn't trust him, they his family. Not even with something as important as this…

They knew their next course of action at least. Make sure he was confined to a bed for the rest of the time he was asleep. It he transformed again, keep him in whatever room he was in so they wouldn't have to track him down. Whenever he was labeled as well again by Madame Pomfrey, they would begin his training in the final stage of control and hopefully stop the random transformations whenever his conscious was at it's weakest.

**A/N: I'm really sorry this took so long and isn't really up to my usual standard. I've been a bit busier than I though I would be. A lot of unexpected things have happened lately with my family and school, so my mind's not really been on writing. But still, happily I finally got this out and I'm really appreciate reviews. **

**I'll try to get the next chapter out quicker and have a prank or two in it…**

**Thanks for reading! **


	5. Chapter 5

_**All credit for Harry Potter, the world the story takes place in, and the characters belong to JK Rowling. **_

Due to Harry's illness, it had been a long time since the second generation of Marauders had pulled a prank, and while part the student body was beginning to get a bit apprehensions, the rest were fully convinced they had nothing to worry about. It seemed you could cut the tension with a dull knife for those who worried about it. Luckily for them, the next planned prank was soon, but was not on them as a whole, but rather a specific individual.

Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. More commonly known as Grandpa to the youngest member of the group of four friends. A man known to be the wisest and strongest Wizard alive, the defeater of the dark wizard Grindelwald, but also known by those closest to him to be a sweet old man who had a liking for Muggle sweets, robes that were a bit eccentric, random show and patriotic tunes, and various jams.

Using knowledge already known by the shortest prankster, they were easily able to get passed the Stone Gargoyle with the password (Big Hunk Candy Bar.) From there, they accessed the hidden door to the old man's privet living quarters, which was stationed behind one of the numerous bookshelves. All you had to do to enter was pull down the right book, the little green one at the end entitled _The Iliad_. A Muggle invention and book yes, but quite handy the past Headmasters had come to find out.

While in his apartment, they effectively managed to use magic to dye his robes various shades of tangerine orange, mustard yellow, and pea green. Even better, the spells would not wear off until one of the four took it off themselves. This made for an extremely entertaining morning the next day at breakfast.

When they entered the Great Hall the next morning, they found him in good spirits with a twinkle in his blue eyes, his usual knowing smile shining on his face, the half-moon spectacles he wore in place on his crooked nose, and wearing a pair of robes in a ghastly shade of vomit green and accented with splotches of canary yellow.

The four kids couldn't help but snicker discreetly as they saw the rest of the school shock and confusion, as well as his answer to Professor McGonagall's inquiry as to where on earth he had gotten them.

"My dear Minerva," he sad happily for all to hear, proudly displaying a smile, "I shall be delighted to tell you! They were a gift from some people very dear to me not to long ago, who all have excellent understanding of which color choices complement each other. Do they not?" The large grin was most unlike the Headmaster, who usually only displayed a slightly odd whimsical sense of humor.

Later that day he confronted them about it, confirming what they already knew. That he was aware of who had enhanced his wardrobe.

"Harry, I wonder if I might have a word with you and your friends?" he said with a larger smile then normal.

"What's up Grandpa?" the small child asked curiously, an aura of innocence hanging about it.

"I was wandering if you four would consent to changing my clothing back to their original state? While I adore the alterations, I have several meetings today with people who won't and it seems like no matter what I do they stay the same."

The little boy's smile faded to be replaced with a look of guarded suspicion.

"Throw in some lemon drops and you have a deal," Harry offered finally, after several more moments of silence.

The old man smiled wider, "Indeed, I may have a few."

Harry rose to his feet, trailing after Dumbledore, "See you later," he called to his friends over his shoulder as the two stalked off, "Very important matters to discuss."

Needless to say when students caught sight of their slightly barmy headmaster later on in the day, it was reported that his strange robes had been returned to normal…or at least normal for him. Although it is said that his left shoe now had a tendency to begin singing loudly, and extremely off key, unless he wore mismatching socks.

**X-x-X**

Life at Hogwarts soon returned to normal, except for a new lesson added to the four year olds' roster.

Animagus control.

Moony, Minerva, and Padfoot all sat down with him at some point in the day and tried their best to explain the dangerous and extremely complicated procedure of the transformation to a four year old. Most of what they told him he didn't understand, and they had to start all over using simpler terms. While all he really needed to do was learn control over the metamorphosis, they felt he should know the basics.

The first time explaining it to him had been the worst. Remus and Minerva had sat him down right after Madame Pomfrey had pronounce him healthy again and they'd gotten him back to the apartment from the Hospital Wing. Sirius had been at the Ministry at the time.

"The Animagus transformation is one of the most extremely complex branches of magic," Minnie had began explaining, her voice lapsing into that which she reserved for class lectures.

"It requires the perfect synthesis of Charms, Potions, and Transfiguration at just the right times. If it's even one second off, it could have disastrous effects on the person attempting it. That is why so few people try it, and the Ministry keeps such close tabs on people who have managed it or who make the endeavor."

"Basically, after your first shift," Remus continued for her, "You're both human and animal at all times. The two forms share your soul and you can freely move between the two different bodies. You may pull different components from the animal to your human body, but you can't do it the other way around. Once you've got control over the animal form through meditation, you can change shape whenever you want by concentrating. Do you understand so far Prongslet?"

The child had just looked at the two waiting adults, blinked twice, scratched his head, and asked, "Can you maybe…repeat all that please?"

Everything had gone downhill from there.

First he couldn't grasp what they were trying to teach him when explaining the process of transforming in the first place. Next, it was that he could sit still long enough to reach the meditative state needed to finish the transformation. Now, he could not understand his animal in the first place. It was a foreign object to him, even though it was apart of his soul.

Perhaps the concepts of the metamorphoses were a _bit_ advanced for a four year old to understand, but it had to be done. If not learned to controlled, it would take over the small boy and make it to were he could transform in any random spot in front of anyone. It could grow so unrestrained that he couldn't gain enough ground to return to human form, for already he was beginning to spend more and more time in animal form.

He was running out of time to learn this, for if they couldn't help him learn this and he couldn't turn back… they might have to use one of the spells that forced an Animagus back into human form. An experience that was far from pleasant and could cause more harm than good to his young body.

**X-x-X**

Sirius and Remus sat in exhaustion as they watched once more their foster son/nephew try and master the beast within. They had thought that at his young age, he would have an easier time learning to curb the flow of magic that fueled the change and therefore utilize it.

So far, that theory had proved far from correct.

The entire episode also seemed to be having a negative effect on the little boy's mental views as well. He seemed to be pulling tamer and tamer pranks as of late, disappointing both his friends and the student body that had come to see them as a part of the Hogwarts experience. It was even beginning to worry the teachers…

Even _**Snape**_, although not that he would admit to it out loud…

It was hard for the two men to wrap their minds around the fact that he was still in fact a child, not with how mature he acted. Somehow, it just didn't register with them that he wasn't any older than four years old.

Children that age should only be coming to realize there was a difference between good and evil. Shouldn't be using their imagination to come up with large and elaborate pranks to play on people at least seven years older than him. Becoming friends with people at least that much older than him, instead of people his own age. His playground shouldn't be an old castle full of teenagers.

But that was how it was for Harry.

Children his age should be able learn how to deal with conflict and how to solve problems without using that many emotions. Whenever Harry was upset, the school was generally treated to one of his most intricate and heavily detailed pranks yet.

They needed to do something about it, and soon…

**X-x-X**

Augusta Longbottom had seen much in her long life, and had had to deal with many losses. The loss of her beloved son and daughter-in-law for one, forcing her to take over the raising of her young grandson. The two young people were now in the permanent ward in St. Mungo's for brain damage after being tortured by Death Eaters and the Cruciatus Curse.

It was truly sad…

She, however, never would have guessed that she would be the recipient of a letter from Hogwarts School, inviting her to bring Neville for a visit to perhaps become friends with _the_ Harry Potter. The boys were the same age, her grandson being only a day older. The poor child had also lost his parents…

As a favor to Professor Dumbledore she would of course accept, but it would take an explanation. The old Headmaster had kept the whereabouts of the child quiet, but to suddenly invite them to a play date?

Something must be up…

Well, she would soon get to the bottom of that!

Donning on her moth eaten vulture topped hat, she walked over to the fireplace in the middle of the living room and reached for the pot that sat on top. Taking a pinch of the emerald green powder, she threw it into the roaring fire that merrily blazed away.

"Hogwarts Headmaster's office!" she called out before stepping into the flames.

The House Elves, Maurice and Remy, knew their duty to her grandson, as they had been instructed to look after the small boy whenever she left the house without him. It might not have been the most brilliant plan as they tended to be a little strict with him. This, combined with the fact that he spent next to no time at all with children his own age, made his extremely shy and doubtful of himself.

Perhaps a few play dates with the young Mr. Potter were just what he needed.

But first to talk to the somewhat senile old man…

When she erupted into his workplace, she was first met with the sight of the old man… and a little boy hovering in the air next to him sucking on what appeared to be a lemon.

"Good Evening Augusta," the old headmaster greeted her, as if there was not a child levitating next to his ears with a piece of yellow citrus in his mouth.

The preschool aged child waved and let out what she could only guess was suppose to be words, but it came out as more of a gargled screech. Dumbledore glanced over at him and asked, "Are you quite alright Harry? Your pronunciation was a bit off on 'Negglo.' You pronounced it 'Nagglo'…"

Turning to her, he apologized. "I truly am sorry my dear Lady Longbottom. He still doesn't have quite a firm enough grip on the Mermish language to speak it fluently, evident by him telling you 'Good Fish Day,' instead of 'Good Morning.'

She could only nod.

"Yes…quite right you are…" she found herself saying, not quite sure of the words that came out of her mouth. The old woman had never been in this particular situation. How does one approach a child the same age as ones' young grandson floating three feet in the air trying to speak the language of the merpeople?

"Why exactly does he have the lemon?" she finally asked, the silence being to much for her.

"It's a little trick I learned from the Mori tribe in Switzerland many years ago. Helps youngsters with the linguistics. Their throats aren't fully capable to form the correct sounds, you see. The lemon makes their throat stay in an exact shape, and not accidentally throw out an insult instead," he explained, the boy nodding enthusiastically.

He let out more of the gargled screams in her direction. Looking to the Professor for an explanation, he translated, " Young Harry said, 'It taste like fruit for awhile after, but at least the Mermaids of the Black Lake let him speak with their children now. They're interesting and know how to appreciate a good prank!' He enjoys his little jokes…"

All she could do was bob he head in answer. This was her grandchild's potential future playmate?

"Yes, I came to inquire about the letter you sent me. About the boys…"

**X-x-X**

As time past, the weather began to get colder. Harry made no progress on his Animagus training and it showed. He began to stop talking to his friends and withdraw.

Having Neville Longbottom around helped a lot though…

With the boys basically the same age, only being a day apart, they looked on each other as brothers of sorts. From their first meeting, they had gotten on splendidly. When together, Lion (Neville) was more brave and Prongslet was tamer. Except with the Potions teacher. Young Longbottom was terrified of him, and Harry still hated his guts.

Or so they thought.

That was until the man helped the two four year olds play a prank on the last of Hogwart's greatest masterminds.

The Marauders…

If had shocked the greasy haired man to no end when the two four year olds had requested assistance… or at least the shier of the two had actually walked up to him, and his fried had demanded he cast a spell for them that was to complicated for two four year olds, one with no magical training and the other only a knowledge of the most base of basics. Until then, to Snape Harry was just a reincarnation of his father. Whenever he had stared him down thought… Lily's fiery spirit had shown through in his emerald eyes.

So the Potter boy didn't have her laugh or her voice. He didn't have a lot of things that he'd inherited from the Potion Masters' fire headed flower, but there was undeniably something in his manner that reminded the one time Death Eater of her. He also wasn't the arrogant James Potter, even though superficially he looked like him and many of their mannerisms were the same… And so, he'd agreed to help his enemy's son and the child of his one time love's best friend.

The plan was simple, as well as a classic.

They were going to drop a chandelier on the two, as well as a few cauldrons of various dyes. The children also had a few expirimental potions the apprentice stag Animagus had found in a library book. The Release and Levitating charms were to complicated for the two preschoolers. It had to be timed just right and in silently, else the two Marauders would hear them.

Hence the deal for Snape, the need for nonverbal spells.

And as expected, the prank failed.

Horrendously.

So easy a prank, even if unexpected, was no match for two such devoted pranksters. Back in their prime, they had been able to tell if someone was about to send a spell at them by a twitch of the hand. They were a little rusty now, over five years later, with zero combat in that time…

But Moody would be proud to know the skills he had drilled into them in Order of the Phoenix meetings were still good enough that they knew a large weight of silver was falling on them.

It seemed to happen in slow motion, but all who witnessed it would later give different accounts of what had taken place. The base facts were the same on most all stories, so there was a fairly straight overview of what had occurred.

It was said that the two men seemed to freeze for a simple moment as the chandelier began to fall, before they each jumped in opposite directions. When the large vats of boiling liquid began to materialize and tip over, spilling their contents over them, the two men pulled their wands out and directed it at the colorful potions. They flew in different directions, raining onto the younger students who weren't lucky enough to know a shield charm.

When it stopped, the ex-convict was said to have stood up and yell out for everyone to hear, "Good job Harry, but not good enough! You'll have to try a lot harder than that to ambush a set of legends!"

It was the talk of the school for some months afterward.

That is until the Christmas Ball.

What the students didn't know, was that after that incident, a bond of sorts formed between the solitary old potions master and his best friends son with his enemy. He became the next best thing he could think of to Lily's child, and that was an uncle. He was again known by the name he had so loved during childhood, Sev.

But it was only in private that the two showed any affection for each other, for it was a form of love that the older man had for the little boy. In the process of the prank, he'd come to know the scar headed child. He could except that he was not his father, but a combination of his parents. His mothers' side just wasn't as well nurtured as his father's.

In the company of others, Harry still had the opportunity to pretend to hate Severus and play pranks on him. It was the best of both worlds…

And was especially fun to play the game the night of Christmas eve.

It was early November in the castle when the Headmaster announced the decision to host the ball for the first time since the seventies. It caused excited chattering to break out among the students, so much so that their head teacher had to wait until it quieted down some to tell the rest of the news.

Everyone would be required to be masked, for it was a Masquerade.

No dates, for no one was to know who the others where. No dates, unless one's partner was a student in a grade below the allowed grade levels. Then it was welcome.

Third years were permitted to attend, by were required to be in bed well before midnight. Eleven o'clock at the latest.

No one underage was to be drinking alcohol.

No inappropriate clothing was allowed.

Everyone was to follow the already laid down school rules, or there would be severe consequences for the culprit and the culprit's house.

If there was so much of a hiccup of an acting up, then there was be no balls for many a year, for any of the students.

The night in question, a fine Yuletide evening, was cool and snowy. No one knew who was who in the room of the Great Hall, which was awash with the hues of everyone's dress robes. The colors and textures of the various fabrics set the large chamber ablaze, the exotic masks hiding the identities and secrets of each individual.

There were a select few who many knew instantly the identity of.

Professor Dumbledore for instant, who was dressed in a pair of neon colored robes much like those Harry and his friends had transformed his own earlier in the year. The garments radiated a slight shimmer, many of which were convinced was designed to glow in the dark, and therefore replicate the Muggle signs many had seen on their way to the Leaky Cauldron Pub. Professor McGonagall was dressed in a clearly early Muggle ear influenced gown of crimson and gold tartan, much like those of the seventeenth century royal court of London.

Sirius Black, although still clearly malnourished and pale from his years of imprisonment, was dressed from head to toe in leather. He wore no mask, but his long wavy hair was secured back in a half ponytail. His outfit consisted of a pair of tight black leather pants, a snug white T-shirt that, and a black motorcycle jacket that rested tautly on his shoulders. A heavy pair of boots completed the ensemble, and his obvious bad boy look, back after many years of being buried under the guise of the convict.

He was the object of fancy of many of the present girls, a few of the boys present as well. It didn't help that he hit on a few of the older members of the student body.

His friend Remus wore Muggle clothes as well, being dressed as a Victorian gentlemen. His costume consisted of a silky white dress shirt, a smoky gray colored vest, a black regency style tailcoat, and trousers that sat a bit higher on the waist than modern day pants. They were the same black as his jacket and decorated with pinstripes. His graying sandy brown colored hair was brushed back, and a starched black cravat rested around his neck, held in place with a pearl stickpin. He held underneath his arm, a John Bull Top Hat and in his other hand a glossy wooden walking stick, topped with a silver handle. A pair of gloves, high boots, and a monocle completed his outfit. He too was without a mask.

Many swooned at the sight of his leather bound friend, a fair share of the gathered students swooned over him as well. Not that he truly cared, romance being something he would never pursue. It was to dangerous with his condition, and to hard. Most girls, he had found, ran the other way when they found out the truth.

Harry, not being a student, was allowed to attend the ball even though he was below the age limit set before the students. He wore a pair of midnight blue dress robes, a temporary sapphire earring resting in his left ear. He wore a pair of black pants under his robes, along with a shirt and tie of the matching shirt of the same hue. A repeating fashion in his family this evening. He alone, of the four, wore a mask, not that it did him any good.

Everyone knew who he was, for he was the shortest person there that night.

On his arm, he escorted a ravishing beauty none knew the identity of or could ever recall seeing before in the grounds. She was tall, her head covered with shining brown hair held up in a chignon. Flirtatious violet eyes stared out from beneath a deep red mask. She wore a crimson colored ruffled satin ball gown. It hugged her rather shapely waist before billowing out in wide maroon tiers, the dress held up with thin straps that crisscrossed over her bare back. Large dangly silver earrings, decorated with garnets, hung from her ears and a matching necklace sat around her neck.

The oddly matched couple were one of the variously popular subjects of the evening. Many pairs of eyes watched the two as they sashayed across the crowded floor, an opening forming around them.

"How did you get such a hot girl to go out with you!" Bill demanded of him between one of the dances, stalking up to them as they hovered by the punchbowl looking for Butterbeer.

The eldest of the Weasley children wore a set of somewhat shabby lemon yellow robes and a feathered orange mask in the shape of a discolored canary's. His brother hadn't managed to get a date to the even, and was to young to qualify for the festivities otherwise.

The young Marauder smiled proudly and gestured to his dance partner for the evening. "I think I'll let her answer that Bill," he said with a smirk.

The mysterious girl smiled and answered with a familiar voice, "Girls always go for the cute sensitive guys, my dear William. A piece of advice for you in the future when trying to find a date!"

"TONKS!" the shocked redhead demanded in shock, a bit louder than he meant to thus causing several heads to glance in their direction.

The girl, not identified as their Metamorphmagus friend, grinned. "Yes, William, who did you think it was?" she said, her voice teasing.

"I wasn't going to be able to come any other way, so I took a chance. In exchange, dear Harry here gets to brag about the gorgeous babe he managed to get as a date! Sounds fair, doesn't it?"

Bill could only nod, still in shock. When it seemed to sink in, he looked depressed.

"That's just not fair," he grumbled, "Every girl in here would kill to be in Tonk's shoes, or dancing with your Uncles, Harry. I couldn't even get a date!"

The young Animagus' eyebrows rose in question behind his mask.

"Is that all that's getting you down? It's easily remedied, Bill, which one do you want?"

Not understanding why his young friend was asking this, the future Curse Breaker pointed out a girl in the year above him he though was cute.

"Marianne Williams, eh?" the black haired four year old asked curious, hiding a smile. He turned to his date for the evening and asked, "Hang out with Bill for a moment please dear, I've a favor to fulfill."

"Hurry back darling," she called after his teasingly. Upon hearing her, Sirius caught his godson's eye and winked.

Trying hard not to laugh, he walked up to the girl his first true friend had gestured to.

"Excuse me, Mary? May I have a private word please?" he asked her. The blonde headed girl glanced at her group of friends, who had begun to giggle, and back again. Nodding, she took his hand and they stepped away.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your evening, but do you see my friend over there?" he asked, gesturing to the loitering preteens. She nodded again, not sure where this was going.

"Well, you see, I wanted to do something nice for him for the holidays, and was wondering if you might could help me with that. Bill has somewhat of a crush on you, and is to shy to say anything. I was kind of hoping that you might consent to dance with him for a song or two, if you're not to busy."

She glanced at him again, her nose scrunching in distaste at his loudly colored robes.

"Alright Harry, for you I'll do it," she said with a sigh before pasting a smile on her face. She swept in his direction, and the young boy watched as a disbelieving grin spread across his face.

The two waltzed over onto the floor, joining the throng of people already dancing.

Oh yes… Bill so owed him now!

"How did you do that?" Tonks asked, coming up beside of him.

"As you already said," he said in answer, a joking smile flitting across his face, "No woman can say no to the small cute guy!"

"That's not what I said!" she said quickly, somewhat flustered. To this, all the little boy could do was break out laughing.

And so the evening went on.

Even the surly recluse of a Potions Master made an appearance, dressed in a slightly more formal version of his everyday robes. He walked over to Harry, and briefly chatted with him before slipping him a small wrapped box with the instructions to hide it and not open it until Christmas morning.

Not wanting his date to be man handled by the older boys who were eyeing her, Harry left Nymphadora in the custody of his more polished foster Uncle while he went to seek out the privacy of his room so that he may dispose of his new relative's gift. For the first time of the night, Remus danced, the red dressed beauty in his arms.

"So, Dora, how's your first year going?" the werewolf asked curiously, not completely sure it was appropriate for him to have his hands on the waist of a girl thirteen years his junior.

"Fine," the Metamorphmagus answered, her voice a bit misty. She wasn't really concentrating on the dance, and therefore not stumbling for once. A vast improvement of her normal clumsiness, not that she was paying any attention. She was to busy becoming enamored with the older man who held her. It didn't matter to her that she was only eleven, and he was twenty-four.

She was in love.

**X-x-X**

The next morning rank clear and bright. A perfect day for holidays. There were several inches of fresh snow on the ground, curtsey of that which was falling the night before. Perfectly useful for the day's planned snowball fight.

After the dance ended the night before, more than three fourths of the school population were allowed to Floo home to spend Christmas day with their families. They were expected back January the fifth so that classes may continue the next day. Of those who stayed, more than half wouldn't leave the small group of mismatched lions alone, demanding to know who Harry's date had been the night before.

When he heard the story and a description of the mystery girl, Charlie was appalled that he missed it. He also demanded that the stag Animagus reveal to him the identity of his date, perhaps even introducing them.

He then couldn't figure out why the other three wouldn't quit laughing, a faint blush forming on Dora's cheeks at the description.

The little boy became really excited about his gifts, although they were a bit much to him. He got the feeling that his guardians were overcompensating because they had found out he didn't fully trust them yet. It kind of sickened him, reminding him to much of the Dursleys.

His favorite gift by far had been from, surprisingly, Snape. The Potions master had given him a scrapbook, dedicated to photos of his mother's younger years. While the Marauders were full of stories of his mum after school and while she had begun dating James, they knew practically nothing of her years before school. Of the time at Hogwarts when she hated them. Her old best friend was full of tales about the fiery redhead.

After a wonderful holiday, classes returned to normal for the castle school.

Things were generally quiet, a peaceful silence that was usually interrupted by some prank or another by our beloved young hero. It seemed that everywhere he went, he bloomed. He easily made friends, and he generally kept them.

He was smart, for a four year old, and he had the perfect family, even as mismatched as it was…

**A/N: I'm sorry this has taken me so long to get out. I meant to have it out before Christmas, but stuff came up and I started drawing a blank on what to write. Sadly, from here I don't know if I'm going to write another chapter. I'm having a hard time thinking of ideas, but I will tell you this. If I do write more, it's going to have skipped to Harry's first year in school.**

**Thanks for reading, and please give me feedback! I could use any suggestions you can give for people who enjoy reading this…**


	6. Chapter 6

_**I don't own Harry Potter… T-T**_

Eleven year old Harry James Potter, late of the North Lion Tower, pushed his trolley towards the fabled train that would take him to school. Around him was his now fellow students and their parents milling around the train platform. Several people noticed him, raising their hands in greeting. He waved back to most of them, but still not stopping. He was too excited; for he was finally about to be able to start classes in the castle he'd called home for the past eight years.

Through the crowd, he caught sight of a familiar sight.

The unmistakable bright red hair of his favorite family, the Weasleys. Bill and Charlie, the eldest of the seven children, were two of his oldest and best friends. He hadn't gotten on well with Percy, who seemed to think he should spend more time studying, but the twins Fred and George were two kindred spirits. From what he knew of them, their youngest brother Ronald, or Ron as they called him, was starting school this year as well.

"Prongslet!" he heard two familiar voices cry out in tandem. He looked over to them to see the older two hurrying over to him. The older of the two swept him up in a tight hug, the younger not far behind when he was released from the crushing embrace.

"Bill, Charlie!" he exclaimed excitedly, hugging back, "It's great to see you guys!"

The three, along with Nymphadora Tonks, had been through a lot together. From their first pranks to Harry's Godfather Sirius teaching them how to chat up birds.

"Harry, old boy-"

"Simply smashing to see you! How have you been-"

"This past summer?" Fred and George wanted to know, each finishing the other's sentences. The first true member of the second generation of Marauders had always been fascinated by their twin speak and had begged them to teach him. They had gladly taken him on as a student, and he was now able to join in with them.

"I've been good!" he answered them, not addressing one or the other. "Me and Uncles Padfoot and Moony went to China to ride a motorcycle down the Great Wall! Uncle Paddy got arrested by the Aurors there because they found out he had charmed his motorbike to fly. It was hilarious! We also went to Japan and spent some time among the Wizarding community there. I really learned a lot from them!"

Mrs. Weasley watched their exchange curiously, as did her youngest two children. She wondered how her older boys and the twins knew the smaller child, obviously a first year. She had just opened her mouth to ask for an introduction, when Percy seemed to remember his manners.

"Mother," he interrupted them, motioning toward the bespectacled boy, "this is the boy you've heard so much about these last few years, Harry. Harry, this is Molly, our mother."

"Nice to meet you dear…" she exclaimed brightly, trailing off in confusion as she held a hand out to shake. This small thing was the legend she'd been hearing about since Charles had come back from his first year of schooling? She had heard many tall tales she was sure were fabricated about him, yet she'd never met him. She had been beginning to believe there was no such person.

"Nice to meet you too Ma'am!" he answered happily, shaking her hand as well. "You've got great kids! They're some of my best friends, even if they get in trouble a lot!"

This was where the eldest stepped in.

"Hold it right there Harry James Potter," he demanded, his expression murderous, but his eyes twinkling with a teasing light. "I seem to remember that most of the trouble we got into at school was either your fault or your idea!"

He said this a bit louder than he anticipated, therefore caching the attention of several close by pedestrians. The students of Hogwarts already knew him, and many waved. Their parents, on the other hand, had never seen him. Many remembered what it had been like during Voldemort's rein of terror, having grown up in that time. They were anxious to meet their savor.

"Says the third year who should have known better than to follow the lead of a four year old!" the younger boy countered, ignoring the unruly crowd behind them.

"A four year old who, when he turned five, took a liking to spending 57% of his time in a cardboard box, yes?" Charlie put in, smiling impishly at his little friend's sudden blush.

"Neville and I saw a Muggle child doing it, it seemed funny at the time!" he muttered defensively, crossing his arms as the blush deepened.

"Yes, and then it went on for three years. Of course, it made a convenient excuse for the little bugger whenever he needed to get off the hook for something. All he had to do was get Tonksy to morph into a clone of him and wonder around in the box. She spent about 38.375% of her time in the self same box."

"Now that I think about it, what happen to old Murphy?"

"Aunt Minnie set fire to him after the Hog in the Great Hall incident in '87, remember?" Harry reminded him, grinning at the memory.

"Ah yes!" Bill agreed, rubbing his chin at the thought, "Shame about that box though… didn't we have a funeral for it though?"

"Oh yeah… almost the whole school showed up to send the bugger's ashes off and share fond memories of him. Sad day that was…"

More might have been said, but the warning whistle on the train gave a loud shriek as the time itched ever closer to eleven o'clock.

"Well children, that's your cue to get on," Molly cut in, catching each of her children in a quick hug as they made their way to the nearest doorway. "Fred, George, you two had better behave this year! I don't want another letter from Professor Dumbledore that you two have blown up a toilet or-"

"We've never blown up a toilet mum!" one of the two cut it defensively.

"Thanks for the idea thought! I've always wandered which parent we got our pranking genius from!" the other put in with a grin.

"Behave!" she insisted, choosing not to comment on their theatrics, "Percy be sure to look after the rest of this lot and do well with your Prefects duties! And Ron… just do your best dear! Alright, on the train, all of you… and Harry? It was nice to meet you dear."

"Nice to meet you too ma'am!" Harry agreed, calling over his shoulder and he pushed his trolley towards the train.

Once his things were stowed away in an empty compartment, he sat down with a sigh and stared out the window at the rapidly passing scenery. Now that the train was moving, they were making good time towards the castle. He wasn't going to try and fool himself thought, he knew that the trip would take the rest of the day.

With nothing else to do, he pulled a leather bound notebook out of his truck, tossing an owl treat to Hedwig as he did so. The brown book was one of his most prized possessions; it was a once joint project between the only two remaining Marauders and their old enemy the Potions Master. They'd given it to him the summer he'd turned ten years old, and it was full of stories. Stories about his parents they'd told him over the years and then written down for him as he got older.

As he immersed himself in the handwritten pages, he became deaf to the door sliding open and blind to the red head that hung down inside.

"Er, excuse me, but do you mind?" Ronald asked nervously thus breaking the oblivion the stag Animagus had sunken into, gesturing to an empty seat, "Everyone else is full…"

"Oh! No, go ahead," the black haired child said with a smile, nodding to the seat across from him. "You're Ron Weasley right?"

"Um… yes, yes I am."

He said it with a sigh in his voice, and seemed to be waiting for something. He'd heard the affection in his brothers' voices on the platform for this boy, such feeling that had never been present when they talked about him. He really hadn't wanted to sit with the great Harry Potter, but he hadn't really had a choice in the matter. All the other compartments really were full unless he wanted to sit with future Death Eaters or an annoying know-it-all and a kid who seemed to be having trouble finding his toad.

As the other kid opened his mouth to no doubt deliver what he assumed would he his companion rubbing in his face that his brothers liked him better than their own sibling, he cursed himself. Maybe that bushy haired know-it-all wasn't so bad a choice after all…

"I'm glad to finally meet you!" Harry said instead, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "I've been looking forward to meeting you since I was four years old and first found out about all Bill's siblings. From everything he, Charlie, and the twins have told me, I hope we become really good friends. They have nothing but praise for you, even if they won't admit it if you ask them. Tell me; is it true that you're obsessed with the Chudley Cannons?"

To say the youngest Weasley boy was amazed would be an understatement. Instead of the self centered boy he was expecting in the Boy-Who-Lived, he got a kid his own age who was interested in him from stuff his older brothers told him.

"Yes, it's true," he answered quickly, only just realizing that while he'd been sitting their with his mouth open, his companion was waiting for an answer.

"Can't really say I ever liked the Cannons, but they did have some really good games. Did you ever hear about the one where against the Arrows, who scored 3660 to 3650 when Johnson caught the Snitch? If I remember correctly, it was the closest they've come to winning a match in seventy years!"

And off the two boys went discussing Quidditch until the compartment door opened again, this time by the candy lady Mrs. Hamilton as she made her rounds to see if anyone was yet hungry.

Harry, having bought more than he would ever be able to eat by himself, promptly offered some to his new friend.

"No thanks, my mum made me some sandwiches," the redhead answered with an uneasy grin, holding up what appeared to be the boy's lunch. If he hadn't been told they were sandwiches, he never would have guessed that's what they were because they were so mashed up.

"Are you sure? I'm never going to be able to eat all this. I honestly don't know why I bought it all, as it's most likely going to go to waste… maybe I could share it with my new dorm mates later tonight? What do you think?"

"It's really going to go to waste?" the other boy questioned, looking longingly at the pile of sweets.

"Go right ahead," Harry assured him, motioning to the candy. "So what house do you hope you'll get sorted into once you get to Hogwarts?"

**X-x-X**

Hermione Granger was a genius, a fact proven by more than one standardized test. She was way above her peers in intellect, a fact that left her shunned with no friends to turn to in her sometimes depression. Only her books…

When Professor McGonagall had turned up at her home in England, for a moment, she'd actually thought she would find a place where she belonged. A place where her intelligence wouldn't hinder her chances at friendship or other human relationships, but help her find many new ones. How little she really knew about human sociology. Her delusion had lasted from the time her future teacher had left until the moment she stepped onto platform nine and three quarters. The way that blonde boy had sneered at her, the way the children around him had laughed at her…

The boy Neville Longbottom had turned up first, asking if she had seen his toad. She hadn't, but had promised to help him look. So from then on, she'd been entering each compartment on the train questioning the occupants to see if they knew the whereabouts of the missing amphibian. That's how she'd happened upon the niche that held the two familiar boys.

The red haired boy who earlier had so rudely left her compartment when she'd began questioning him about himself. And the other…

Many years ago she'd met him, but only for a few hours…

Those four short hours were sure to be seared into her brain for the rest of her life, and had shown her a side of her mother she had yet to see again since.

She'd been at a bookstore with her mum, and had met Harry who was trying to reach for a book he couldn't reach. She, being taller than him, had helped him get the heavy volume down. The two had gotten to talking about the title, the Blue Fairy Book, and why a boy would be reading it. This led to an argument, which brought her mother and Harry's Uncle to find out what the commotion was all about.

This had led to an even bigger revelation neither of them could ever guess, a pair of painful broken hearts that never truly healed. A secret that been kept from her since before the bushy haired girl had been born. It seemed that Harry's mother Lily and Hermione's mother Jennifer had been childhood friends. Jennifer, or Jeannie as she was called, who knew of the magical world. She had bared witness to an attack of Death Eaters ambushing her friend and her fiancé. James Potter's best friend and foster-brother Sirius had shown up to help them remove the evidence.

Whenever Jeannie and Sirius had caught sight of each other, they had almost instantly fallen in love.

Jeannie was a student in London at the time, and on a break from her longtime boyfriend Jonathan Granger. The two had been dating since high school, but had gotten into a fight over their future together. Jonathan wanted the two of them to marry, get their degrees, then once they graduated to start a dental practice and a family. Jeannie, on the other hand, wanted to see the world first. To learn more about her true passion, artwork.

Reaching a big disagreement, they had split up for the winter with the agreement to get together again in the spring to discuss their options. Sirius and she had entered into a relationship with the understanding that it wouldn't last past March. Somewhere along the way, Jennifer had become pregnant without them realizing it. By the time she knew, it was to late. She had no way of contacting Lily or Sirius, and by then they were both already lost in the tides of war.

It had happened early on in the Muggle and Wizard's relationship, so John assumed it was his. The couple had gotten married quickly, pursued their degrees, and set up their lives to welcome their daughter. But from the first moment she'd held her daughter in her arms, the new mother had known her child was special. That she would take after her father in being able to perform the magical arts.

A secret she'd held close to her heart and never released… not even when she'd re-met the love of her life that fateful winter day in a bookshop.

Jean Granger had been shocked to see Sirius again, and with a child of all things. One that was revealed to be the son of her once best friend, now deceased. She hadn't even known that Lily and James Potter had been murdered, that the once love of her life had been imprisoned because it was believed that it was he who had betrayed the two young parents to the dark lord.

The ex-convict had assumed their daughter was John's, a man he'd only ever met once. The day he'd had to give the love of his life up forever, as pre planned near the beginning of their relationship. Jonathan had known nothing of his "fiancé" dating another man during the time of their break. A fight had broken out, and instead of parting as friends, Padfoot and Vixen left each other on non speaking terms. John wanted her to make a choice, but the pureblooded wizard made it for her.

Until that day, they hadn't spoken a word to each other or about one another. Four hours, and then anther five years of silence.

Until two halfblooded children had met on a train.

"Hermione Jean Granger," Harry said in shock, a smile flashing across his face.

"Harry James Potter," she greeted in answer, an answering smile spreading across her own.

The two had gotten on well in the time they'd spent together that day, once they had gotten over the initial argument.

"How've you been?" Harry questioned, breaking the silence.

"I've been well… and you?"

"Good," he answered before gesturing to his red haired companion. "This is my friend Ron Weasley, Ron, this is Hermione Granger. I met her a couple of years ago in a bookstore and learned one thing about her that has stuck with me all this time. She's never wrong, about anything... Except what a six year old boy might be reading."

"Hi…" she answered, nodding to him.

"Do you want to have a seat?" the raven haired boy asked her, pointing at an used chair. "I'd love to be able to catch up with you."

"Oh… I would love to Harry, but I can't. I promised a kid named Neville Long-"

"-bottom that you would help him find his toad Trevor?" he finished for her, emerald eyes flashing with a hint of a smile.

"Er… yes, as a matter of fact. Did he already come through here asking about it?"

"No, but Trevor gets out a lot. I've had the pleasure of helping Nev try and find that blasted beast more times than I can count. The bloody chicken is still to scared to ask one of the fourth years to cast a summoning charm for him. Let's go get him and his stupid toad…"

Getting up, he made to exit the compartment.

"Which way did the idiot go?" he called over his shoulder.

"He was heading towards the head of the train!" Hermione answered, gesturing in the direction the plump boy had traveled.

This caused the boy to stop dead before backtracking to stand before the bushy haired girl. His face was quickly turning pale, his eyes widening in panic.

"Did you say he was heading to the _front _of the train?"

She considered him for a few moments before quickly nodding in confirmation.

"Yeah, that's the direction he was going."

Harry froze for a full five minutes before sprinting headlong towards the head of the locomotive, cursing under his breath at his dimwitted friend. Although Neville had come a long way from that lonely little boy who was scared of his own shadow, he still had a ways to go in the courage department. Even if it was to find Trevor, there was no way he could stand up for himself. And where he was going, he was going to need it.

The head of the train was reserve for only three groups of people. Teachers, when they decided to ride the train as apposed to apparition, the Head students and Prefects…

And the Slytherins.

Even after all these years, the snakes still hated him. Most of the older students knew him, and therefore his "sidekick," as Neville was known around the school. It didn't matter to them that Neville was the older of the two boys, or that some of the better pranks the two had pulled were his ideas. They always saw Harry as the more outgoing one, and therefore the leader. If was known also that he was a bit of a squib, and therefore not that strong or confident in his magic. Even though he was a pureblood, the House of Snakes considered him an embarrassment to his family and the magical world.

Before now, he had been relatively safe. He wasn't a member of the school, so there were severe consequences for doing anything to him. They would eat him for breakfast and most likely scar him so badly now that he was a student of Hogwarts, he wouldn't last much longer than his first week. At least, that is, if he was left to his own devices for to long.

Harry's plan was to appeal to some of the older students, ones that he knew could be trusted, to look after him. They would get in trouble as well, but at least Neville would be safe.

They were in look, for they overtook the first year before he entered the particular compartment that houses the members of the emerald house.

"Neville, where the hell do you think you're going?" Harry demanded, grabbing the back of the older boy's cloak. "You know that's where the Snakes hand out!"

"But… Trevor! I can't find Trevor!"

"And you think he's up front? Neville, you know he hates them as much as we do, and he's an amphibian! What in the world makes you think he would go anywhere near the dungeon dwellers?" the bespectacled boy pointed out.

"The Slytherins are all convinced he's more Squib than wizard," he explained to the bushy haired girl and red headed boy that had followed him as the four young wizards made their way back in the direction they had come.

"I'm going to go with Neville to ask Oliver Wood to perform a Summoning spell for him. Nev is still terrified of the upperclassmen," Harry told them, charging on ahead to find the Gryffindor Quidditch captain with the brown headed boy in tow.

"Okay man, see you back at the compartment," Ron agreed, already planning on demolishing the rest of the chocolate frogs that had been left on the train seat.

"So what's a Squib?" Hermione asked as the two were left on their own, not having come across the strange term in any of her readings about the magical world.

"Like you're a witch born into a nonmagical family," Ron explain, "A Squib is what we call a nonmagical person born into a family of wizards. To some magical families, it's seen as one of the utmost disgraces. The ironic part is it happens mostly in prejudice pureblood families that inbreed to preserve the bloodlines. Although you really don't here about it because they kill the offspring when they turn out to be nonmagical."

"Oh, okay," she said in answer as he slid the door to the compartment he and Harry had been sitting in earlier.

She continued walking down the passageway, much to the redheaded preteen's confusion. "Hey, where are you going Hermione?" he called after her retreating form.

She stopped momentarily and turned to look over her shoulder as she replied, "Going back to my compartment."

"But why? I thought you wanted to catch up with Harry or something?"

"I can do that later," she assured him.

"Are you sure?" the redhead asked, gesturing inside, "He bought a bunch of candy that I'm going to try and make disappear before he gets back. I could use the help."

The bushy haired girl slowly made her way back, her curiosity getting the better of her. Ron had already sat down and opened a chocolate frog. He was calmly examining the card that came with the treat, and threw a bag of Every Flavored Beans at her without looking up.

"Eat up," he told her, adding at the last minute, "Just be sure to watch out for the green ones. They've been known to be the worst flavors."

She nodded in acknowledgement and reached for one of the beans.

**X-x-X**

Harry and Neville soon returned to the compartment and they finished the trip to the castle with very little interruptions, other than short visits from the twins, various older students that were extremely fond of the boy who lived, and one of their fellow first years that was obviously going to be a future Slytherin.

The boat ride across the Great Lake was also uneventful, except for the notable amazement at the First Year's first look at the castle and their first look at Hagrid, who had come to escort them to their sorting. The gentle half giant was especially happy to see his favorite pre-teen again.

Other than the brief visit to China, Padfoot and Moony had decided to take him on a four month trip to Japan for the summer as a way for the teachers to come up with new teaching plans he didn't know the answers to. The ten year old boy had ended up buying a samurai katana his first night in Kyoto.

The next few months had pasted in the mountain wilds of the Japanese Wizarding community, letting the boy learn the basics of using his new weapons. Harry had been very enthusiastic over the lessons and the new clothes his teacher had require him to wear.

The traditional Japanese clothing worn by the Asian wizards were strange at first for the two adult pranksters, simple for the fact that they weren't simple robes. Hakama and kimonos were more open for the Englishmen, and more easy to move in.

To pass the time in which their young nephew was learning the sword, they began to learn about another culture.

They found out that the first sword Harry had purchased was a traditional katana, or Japanese long sword. His master, an old friend of Dumbledore everyone called Harou-sensei, made him use a wakizachi . The medium sized blade was easier for him to learn to use with his still small body.

They had only gotten back that morning, in time for him to get on the train, so he had yet to see any of his foster family. None of them had dare mention his new weapons skills to his godmother, and until they did, his sword would remain wrapped in cloth at the bottom of his trunk.

As they were handed off to the Transfiguration teacher, he caught her giving him a warning look as she glared the group of eleven year olds down.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here.

They followed the stern woman down the hall and into a small room off the main hall, the chattering voices of the other students echoing in.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she began. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses."

She went on to explain about the houses and how they were your family. After that, she left them to themselves to prepare for the sorting ceremony.

It was here that the ghosts usually introduced themselves and Harry took the time to go ahead and show his growing pranking skills.

The group began muttering among themselves, wondering what the coming trial would entail. Harry did his best not to start snickering when Ron started muttering about wrestling trolls. Honestly, how could he really believe that when he had grown up with the twins and knew their playful nature?

"Move along now," the cat Animagus called to the first years. "The Sorting Ceremony is about to start."

They followed her out of the small room and into the Great Hall, walking down the middle row to form a group before the teacher's table. He notice that several of his Aunts and Uncles were trying to contain themselves from giving him a smile and wave. They hadn't seen him just as long as he hadn't seen them. That was to long in all of their opinions.

He also noticed the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, a small man whose head was covered with a turban. He didn't know his name yet, but he doubted he would last long.

The old patched Sorting Hat was brought out, and they waited as the rip opened up for it's yearly serenade. This part was something he was really looking forward to. He and the Hat had become friends over the years and he usually got to help the hat come up with it's song. Since he had been out of the country, he hadn't even heard it this year.

"_Oh you may not think I'm pretty," _it began,

"_But don't judge on what you see,I'll eat myself if you can findA smarter hat than can keep your bowlers black,Your top hats sleek and tall,For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting HatAnd I can cap them 's nothing hidden in your headThe Sorting Hat can't see,So try me on and I will tell youWhere you ought to might belong in Gryffindor,Where dwell the brave at heart,Their daring, nerve, and chivalrySet Gryffindors apart;You might belong in Hufflepuff,Where they are just and loyal,Those patient Hufflepuffs are trueAnd unafraid of toil;Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,if you've a ready mind,Where those of wit and learning,Will always find their kind;Or perhaps in SlytherinYou'll make your real friends,Those cunning folks use any meansTo achieve their put me on! Don't be afraid!And don't get in a flap!You're in safe hands (though I have none)For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The hall burst into applause as the hat fell silent, waiting for the first student to come forward.

"So we just have to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."

Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a long roll of parchment in her grasp.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

The pigtailed girl eagerly ran forward, and was promptly sorted into Hufflepuff. So it was started as the new class was slowly sorted.

As the ebony haired pre-teen had predicted, the boy they had met on the train was sorted into Slytherin. His new friend Hermione and his oldest friend Neville had both been sorted into Gryffindor. His family friend's niece Susan Bones went to Ravenclaw much to his disappointment, but she sent him a happy grin as she went to her new table.

"Potter, Harry!" was called out, finally, and the whole room went silent. The older students because they all knew him and were looking forward to see where he would fall. The new kids were just curious at finally seeing him for the first time.

"_Hello Prongslet_!" the Hat said happily, talking to one of his favorite children for the first time in a long while. _"Are you ready to start?"_

"Yeah!" he thought back quickly.

He had always worn the hat to talk to him before hand, so the cap already had a pretty good idea of where he would fall. Therefore, it didn't take it long to place him where he would spend his next seven years.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The room stayed silent for a moment, before the scarlet and gold clad table let out a loud cheer.

"We got Potter! We got Potter!" he heard the twins start shouting, easily heard over the rest of the lion house.

He made his way over, sneaking a glance at his Godfather and closest Uncle who sat at the end of the Head Table. They both had the silvery sheen of tears in their eyes, Padfoot trying his best to discreetly wipe them away.

Next to Sirius was his new wife, a woman he had met and fell in love with in Japan. Her name was Haruhi Takahaski-Black. Padfoot had met her at Harou-sensei's school, for she had worked there as one of the teachers. She had long blue-black hair, which was usually tied back in a ponytail. She wore her nations equivalent of Female Wizarding Robes. She was going to be joining the staff of Hogwarts, alternating between helping Madame Pince, Madame Pomfrey, and continuing Harry's education with his katana.

As the sorting ended with "Zabini, Blaise," heading over to the Slytherin table, Harry's foster grandfather stood up and observed the students under his care.

"Welcome!" he called out, standing to deliver his pre-feast speech. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

With that, he sat back and the entranced crowd began to clap and cheer. Harry enthusiastically joined in, ignoring his year mate's confused glances.

"Is he - a bit mad?" Hermione asked uncertainly, turning toward the eldest Weasley.

"Mad? Percy repeated. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes Miss Granger. Believe it or not, that was the best speech he's had in a long time, isn't it Harry?"

The Boy Who Lived, who currently had a mouth stuffed full with the newly appeared potatoes, eagerly shook his head and swallowed.

"No, '87 was better! You don't remember that quote from Jim Morgan? 'It's a sad day for American Capitalism when a man can't fly a midget on a kite in central park?'" he argued, pointing at the older boy with a chicken wing.

The elder boy's eyes narrowed and he pointed a stern finger at the new Gryffindor, "You only thought that was better because it gave you the idea for the 1988 Quidditch Finals Fiasco!"

"'1988 Quidditch Finals Fiasco?'" Ron asked curiously, joining in the conversation.

"Greatest prank of the year!" Fred and George commented together, pointing at Harry.

"Young Master Prongslet here had Tonksie attach him to a kite-" George began.

"Then fly him around the pitch during the middle of the final game between-" Fred continued.

"Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Bill and Charlie were both playing at the time, so he had to rely on Tonksie's sub-par flying skills. He ended up throwing fireworks up in the air, catching his kite on fire, and having to hang on for dear life when all the players started to chase them towards the forest to extract revenge. One of the funniest things we ever saw!" they finished together.

Ron turned to look at his new friend in awe, while Hermione shared Percy's look of disapproval.

"Don't let his innocent look full you," Percy advised the new children, who were listening in. "In this kids mind lurks one of the most deranged minds I've ever come across. He's extremely immature, and only devoted to three things. Treacle Tart, his Uncles Professors' Black and Lupin, and Pranks. You have been warned."

**~X-x-X~**

The first day of classes was a bit strange for Harry. He was used to being on the other end of the classroom, helping his various Aunts and Uncles teaching classes, or in a room with Moony learning lessons on his own.

His very first lesson was going to be with Aunt Minnie, who started with a lecture about rules. They were properly threatened that anyone playing in her class would be asked to leave and not to return. From there, she turned her desk into a pig and let it roam around the room.

It promptly hurried over to Harry and started nosing his hand. The eleven year old giggled and held an apple out. He had met the pig, nicknamed Clancy, every year since he had first come to the castle and the two were close for only seeing one another once a year.

"Go Clancy, back to Minnie," he whispered happily, petting the pink beast's ears. The pig nodded enthusiastically and obediently returned to it's place so it could be turned back into a piece of mahogany.

The class was then made to take a lot of complicated notes, and were finally given a match to try and turn into a needle. Harry did the task on his first try, much to the shock of the other first years, and happily fell asleep.

He was rudely awakened at the end of class when the bell rang.

Over the course of the hour, only Hermione had made any noticeable change to her match. McGonagall gave her a rare smile, before giving the whole class one last warning.

"This is a serious class and I expect you take it as such. If you horseplay in this room, you will receive a detention and you will not return. This also goes for any student who dares call me 'Minnie.' Is this understood?"

They all nodded solemnly and trooped out of the room.

Potions went as one might expect.

Professor Snape installed in them a proper fear of him, and did his best to stump his "nephew" by asking him several higher level questions he knew he wouldn't be able to answer. This made several students angry, which earned them house points taken away.

After the lesson ended, Snape sent the boy an apologetic look out of the corner of his eye as he excited the dungeon classroom.

Several days passed as the new students began to find there way around the large school, with it's moving staircases and unhelpful ghosts.

A new year had began and with it, new trails and tribulations for the Boy Who Lived and his family, the Teachers of Hogwarts.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm not dead! I'm really sorry this took so freaking long to get out, and thank you to everyone who stuck around to read it. A lot has been going on with me lately. Let me tell you, writers block, a promotion, some family problems and a couple of other things are not a great mess to be in when trying to write a story!**

**Anyway, I'll do my best to update again soon, but no promises on a date. **

**PLEASE REVIEW ON WHAT YOU THINK WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD!**


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